portraits

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Palo Duro English teacher Jennifer Aduddell with Linh Vo

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W

hen Linh Vo wound up in an American classroom three 
years ago, one of the most distinct differences between 
the life she had in Vietnam and the one she would make 
in America quickly revealed itself to be the relationship 

between students and their teachers.  

“I had many great teachers in Vietnam. But all I can describe is their 

teaching methods, not their personalities. Vietnamese teachers are usually 
not very close to students, so I was very surprised at how welcoming 
American teachers are,” says Linh.  “In Vietnam, it is taught that teachers are 
people who we can’t become friends with. We should look up to them, but 
we can’t know them personally.”

Linh, a sophomore at Palo Duro High School, picked up on the warmth 

of western teachers right away. Still, she didn’t expect what would happen 
the morning of her 15th birthday. 

As Linh walked into her freshman English class, teacher Jennifer Aduddell 

was waiting to greet her with some small trinkets and a boisterous, “Happy 
birthday! We’re so glad you were born!” 

Right away, Jennifer noticed Linh’s reaction. It wasn’t quite what she 

usually sees from her students. “I didn’t know if maybe I had offended her, 
because cultures are different,” says Jennifer. “And I can be a little too much 
for some students sometimes,” she laughs. 

Since then, Linh and Jennifer have passed the occasional gift back and 

forth in what has become standard rapport for these two. But, Linh wanted 
to do more. “I don’t have the amount of money to buy something that is 
worth what she gave me, so I wanted to give some effort,” says Linh. 

Inspired by Palo Duro English teacher David Willis, who told the story 

of a project at another school where students walked into class to discover 
each of their portraits had been drawn, 
Linh had a plan to honor all her teachers. 

She would paint, draw and smudge each 

of their portraits, eight total. 

“I was shocked,” says Jennifer, taken 

aback when Linh approached her with the 
idea. “I know that she can fi x a messed up 
Rubik’s Cube in seconds, but I had no idea 
she was an artist.”

Herself an artist at heart, Jennifer was 

indelibly touched. “I didn’t cry in front of her, but I went home and just 
cried because that was so special to me,” says Jennifer. “And then I thought, I 
love to draw and if you’re going to draw me, then I would love to draw you.” 

So began Jennifer and Linh, each meticulously crafting the other’s portrait. 

With precise strokes, Jennifer drew Linh in pencil from a photograph. Linh 
chose watercolor, her favorite medium, for Jennifer’s portrait. “Watercolor 
is soft-looking. It’s very forgiving, too,” says Linh. “I like it because you can 
fi x the colors and add water to make it lighter.”

As Jennifer’s portrait began to take shape, Linh would send her photos of 

the work in progress. “I was blown away,” says Jennifer. “Every day or two 
she would send a picture and there would be a darker value in my hair or 
texture in the grass.”

As Jennifer and Linh put the fi nishing touches on the other’s portrait and 

prepared to unveil them, neither realized just how emotional the exchange 
would be. For Jennifer, who has received an array of gifts, big and small, 
during her almost twenty years as a teacher, this one is the gift of a lifetime.

“I’m gobsmacked by how good it is. No one has ever drawn my portrait. 

It’s a priceless gift to me. It’s my treasure,” says Jennifer, who chose a 
sentimental spot to hang the portrait that means so very much. “It hangs 
in my offi ce at home. We don’t collect a lot of art but we have a few oil 
paintings that my grandfather did, so it has a very special place between his 
two paintings. And that’s where it will stay.” 

Though Linh was just as impressed by Jennifer’s drawing of her, and 

though it hangs in her bedroom, always a reminder of a teacher who also 
became a friend, Linh is reluctant to call it her all-time favorite gift.

Jennifer had already unknowingly given her that when, once upon a time, 

she wished Linh a happy birthday. 

“Do you remember last year you gave me…” Overcome with emotion, 

Linh is unable to fi nish the sentence. 

“I know exactly what you’re going to say,” says Jennifer, picking up the 

story and recounting, once again, that morning of Linh’s 15th birthday. “I 
remember giving you silly teacher stuff, pencils and such, and I had folded a 
little fl ower. I didn’t realize it was such a big deal to just say ‘happy birthday’ 
to someone.”

To Linh, still adjusting from the reverence of the eastern classrooms she 

had known for so long, Jennifer’s gesture 
was more than ‘just’ a happy birthday wish.

“That’s the fi rst time ever,” says Linh. 

“In my family, we don’t really do that. You 
were the fi rst person to say happy birthday 
to me.”

“Seriously?” Jennifer exclaims, realizing 

how the two words had such a powerful 
impact on a young student. “Oh my 
goodness, I didn’t realize that.” 

 “When it’s all said and done, I’ve had a lot of students come through 

my life, but I’ve never met anybody like Linh. Ever,” says Jennifer. “She has 
changed my life. Linh is one of the reasons I will stay in teaching.”

Linh is quick to acknowledge her life also has been changed by Jennifer—

and each of her teachers. “All of these teachers are meaningful to me and 
I just wanted to show my gratitude to them. Doing the portraits was very 
personal to me,” says Linh, quietly. “I want teachers to remember me. 
Teachers here are special. They need to know that.”

IF A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS,

WHAT LINH VO DID FOR HER TEACHERS IS

PRICELESS

“I’M GOBSMACKED BY HOW GOOD 

IT IS. NO ONE HAS EVER DRAWN MY 

PORTRAIT. IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO 

ME. IT’S MY TREASURE,”