Mrs. Z,
Day one of freshman year and I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into walking in that huge choir room of yours. Hearing you call my name for roll call/attendance and smiling after I raised my hand I knew that was where I belonged. I have been trying to find the right words to say to you in this letter since freshman year, after crafting all of my thoughts into this letter, I hope I found the right words to say thank you for getting me through high school. You were and always will be my hero. I will forever admire how you chose a profession that put countless others before yourself, and even with that, you always made me feel like I was the most important one. Truth be told, all your students felt that way. I will forever admire your spirit. Your love of life and the people in it, it filled my heart with a joy that has never faded. I also will forever admire your integrity. You didn't teach me how to have character; you showed me. I watched you do what's right even if it was hard. I watched you choose kindness when most others would have turned to anger, and I watched you work as hard as you could every day no matter how exhausted you were. You were a perfect example of how to live life. You will always be with me. I may have been a kid when we first met, but even now, I think of you when something great happens because I want to tell you. I think of you when I am reminded of a lesson you taught me. I think of you when I make most decisions because I always wonder what you would do. Many days ended with us rattling off songs we wanted you to play on the piano the next day, or with us just all talking to each other even with all of these interruptions, you somehow managed to prepare us for our concerts and improve us each semester. Thank you for pushing us to break out of our shells. This is a huge one for me, when I was a freshman I don't think I spoke more than five words a day and by junior year, you couldn't shut me up. You never once said anything discouraging. Not even if we forgot the words or if we didn't feel like singing that day. You saw something in each of us that we hadn't realized was there yet and that is what being a teacher truly is. Thank you for helping shape me into the person I am today. I appreciate all of the things you taught me throughout high school. Thank you for pushing me to go out on a limb and try new things. I wouldn't have the confidence I do today without you. Teaching is one of the most important jobs a person could have. You decided to teach a subject that to most of us in your class think is the most important one of all. It's the subject that is also our passion. You created a safe place for us to be our creative selves. The choir room was like a second home. No matter what was happening, as soon as you stepped into that room your shoulders felt a little lighter. Thank you for making a place for us to fit in and be ourselves. You taught me that sometimes a few notes on a page can say more than the most eloquently written speech could ever do. Thank you for everything that you taught me, everything that you continue to teach me, and everything that you will teach me. No matter how small or insignificant it may seem to you, it means the world to me. I promise you that your legacy will forever live on in me. Thank you for every hug, lesson, smile, piece of advice, and vote of encouragement. You were never "just a teacher." In fact, most days you were my favorite part about school. You've forever cemented a place in my heart that can never be replaced. I should have told you all of this every day, but I just assumed you knew. You are the person I needed when I was going through a rough day. You were my light during the dark days. I know I wasn't in the choir for senior year but I wanted to be able to go to get college and honestly, the people in the choir were too toxic to my mental health, nothing towards you or music. I needed a year for me. I don't know if I found the right words to thank you, but I hope I did. It's been a joy, a true privilege for me to call myself your student.
"A teacher affects eternity, she can never tell where her influence stops." - Henry Adams
