To the teacher who never gave up,

I just wanted to give you a big shout out. You not only made an impact on my life when I was in high school, but you continue to make an impact to this very day.

When I first started high school I had an incredibly hard time adjusting to the change. I was a big ol' freshmen who thought she knew it all. I soon learned I didn't. I was taking a class I thought I didn't need, AIS English. I had always done very well in English so I never really understood how I ended up in that class, but I still thank who ever put me there to this day. In this class I not only learned about books and Shakespeare but I also learned more about myself.

I was bullied and picked on because I was lesbian. You were the first adult that I ever told that I was a lesbian. You had us write a story, and to this day I don't exactly remember what I wrote about, but I do know that it was the first time I had ever opened up to an adult. I trusted you right away and I feared I would be rejected by you. But I wasn't. You accepted me for who I was and I can never express how much that changed my outlook on life.

Your class changed my life. You taught me so much more than I could ever express. You were not just a teacher to me. You became another mom. You were there for me through ever little thing. From when I was getting kicked out of forensics for having water, when I was struggling with English, when I was struggling with my senior paper to the even more emotional times like when I was struggling with being who I was, to struggling with the death of my grandfather and even through my self harm and break ups. You were always there for me. You were a constant role model for not just me but everyone else as well. You were the one person who no matter what was going on, would always be there for someone at the drop of a hat. You actually cared about each one of us unlike a lot of the teachers we've had growing up. No matter how difficult we were, or how many times we pressed your buttons, you never gave up on us. Never. You taught us so many things, and it was a lot more than just English.

You taught us to believe in our selves. To trust our instincts and to follow our dreams. You taught us that love is unconditional and that sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. You taught us that it was okay to talk to someone about our problems. You taught us that it was okay to leave a relationship if we were unhappy. You taught us to do the right thing. You taught us that it was okay to make mistakes. You taught us that safe places do exist in this world. You taught us that we are smarter than we others think. But most importantly, you taught us not to give up. You taught us to keep going no matter how hard things get it.

I know I'm not the only one who has been touched by your undying love and kindness. Many other people that have had you as a teacher or has met you through friends have come to love you very much. No matter what you think, you have touched and changed someone's life. YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE. Please don't ever forget that. I know that it is not always easy to have to deal with all of the "problem" kids but we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we appreciate you (even if we don't always admit it.)

So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for always pushing me to do my best. Thank you for all the lunch room chats and the constant encouragement. Thank you for inspiring me to do my best and reach for the stars. I appreciate everything you do. So thank you for being you and never giving up.