LARGO, Fla. — Adrienne Hill, the Varying Exceptionality case manager at Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School, says she's always had a passion for working with children with special needs.

She teaches them unique skills in her role, and Hill says her aunt inspired her to pursue this career. 

“She showed me how much compassion and how much care," Hill said. "And she showed me the end product later once her students started coming back telling her how much they have grown and how much they’ve changed, I was like, 'OK, I’m hooked,'" said Hill.

She's been teaching at the school for five years and says she loves it.

“I am a student at heart all the time, so I’m always learning," she said. "And each year with a new set of kids, we get a new set of things to learn."

Hill is also the "Girlfriends Mentor" — she mentors and supports girls at the middle school and helps them in different areas of their lives. She had that support growing up and said that's why she wanted to be involved in the program.

“My mom was excellent, but she fell ill, so it was hard to be somewhere with me all the time," Hill said. "So I come in with these young ladies and there are times they have orchestra performances and mom can’t make it. She’ll send a text message, an email, and I’ll show up."

She acts like a second mom for many of her students and loves watching them grow throughout the school year.

“I hope they learn that they always have someone to be by their side, that they always have someone who is going to encourage them," Hill said. "And for this year, our target has been for them to be able to self-advocate."

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