Ms. Malone’s claim to fame was that she was an extra in the film “Rudy.”
In a pivotal scene towards the end of the movie, during the all-important football game, she appeared as a cheerleader. It was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of part, but Ms. Malone made sure we didn’t miss it – she would (of course) show us the movie in class and pause at the exact moment she appeared onscreen to ensure we saw her. She was a blur of blond hair, pompoms, and fluttering skirt – you could barely even make out her face – but we all oohed and aahed just the same in order to make her happy.
I think Ms. Malone’s style of teaching was similar to this – she would press pause on our blink-and-you’ll-miss-it talents, ensuring they got the spotlight, even if only for a minute. She encouraged us to do the same for others, reminding us we do not play the part of extras in our lives but hold the starring role.