Daughter steps into classroom to help mother who has cancer Last year, she started feeling weak, and had a sore throat so she visited a local health clinic. [...] the Manatee Elementary School teacher was on summer break, and she was taking classes to become a reading specialist. Gimenez opted out of surgery. Since the cancer was located at the base of her neck and the back of her throat, she lost the ability to talk, and has gradually regained it through therapy. With Elliott still learning the ropes of teaching, and Gimenez recovering, the pair works together every day during their planning period, and the last period of class to pass on double the knowledge to their students. When the clock strikes 2 p.m., Elliott's third graders shift into the adjoining classroom, and join other third graders to learn about various subjects, such as social studies, from Elliott, and her mom. When the bell rings at 2:50 p.m., signaling the end of the school day, the duo says goodbye to their students, and cleans up their respective classrooms. Gimenez began her teaching career in Ohio, and moved down to Naples with her late husband, son and Elliott (who was in eighth grade at the time), so her daughter could swim year-round as a competitive swimmer. Elliott had just graduated from the University of South Carolina (USC) when she learned about her mom's illness, and had already signed on to coach a swim team in South Carolina for the summer season. When the swim season finished up, Elliott moved back home temporarily to help her mom. Gimenez, who has had a long friendship with Manatee Elementary's principal, Wendy Borowski, asked if her daughter cold teach her third-grade class. [...] Elliott had just completed her bachelor's in public health from the USC, and always had a passion for swimming.