Bryan Roth has a way with words

Bryan Roth isn't your typical teacher.

For starters, if you walk into his classroom and he's not standing out in front, you might mistake him for one of the students. His youthful looks can be easily explained; this is only his second year as a teacher.

Yes, he has been mistaken for a student before, but there is no mistaking his enthusiasm.

He teaches creative writing at Phoenix Academy in Sarasota. His students can relate to him because it wasn't that long ago when he was in their shoes.

Roth says, "I remember what it's like to be a student in the 8^th, 9^th and 10th grade. There are so many things going on. You are unsure of yourself. You've got all these issues at home you're dealing with."

The students are at Phoenix Academy because they've had issues at other schools. Some would describe the students as tough or bad.

Not Mr. Roth.

"There's no difference, in my opinion, in the tough kids here and the tough kids at another school. It's just the fact that the parents that send their kids here are wanting to make a difference and turn things around."

Students are quick to talk about how down to earth Mr. Roth seems. 15-year-old Dash Kuntz says, "It kind of caught me off guard."

Kuntz says he expected another year of being bored to tears. He was pleasantly surprised to find out that Mr. Roth was not boring, but brilliant, in connecting with the entire class.

Roth says it's easy to get students interested in writing as long as you allow them to be creative. "I just make it about expressing themselves," he says. "Truthfully, that's what writing is about anyway. I don't even say the word F-CAT."

"It's the F-word in my opinion."

15-year-old Karlie says Mr. Roth has helped boost her vocabulary and self esteem. She explains, "Some people, they made fun of me when I used small words. Now, I know what the adults are talking about."

Dominique Bowe is an 8^th grader who gives Mr. Roth full credit for his writing transformation. "I never used to like reading and Mr. Roth made me start writing poems and stories and stuff."

Bowe says now he even writes during his free time at home.

Mr. Roth admits to getting a little emotional hearing his students talk about the impact he has made on them in such a short time.

"That's the reason you teach. It's nice to have a steady paycheck but, also, just the fact you really do have an influence on these kids lives."