After spending nearly my entire life in school, I'd be crazy to say that there weren't teachers who impacted me. You all know the ones I'm talking about; the ones who inspired you to try your best in school, the ones who helped you realize your lifelong dreams, or even the ones who did something as simple as changed the way you felt about the subject they taught. Either way, you remember these teachers for the rest of your life, and the impact they created stays with you long after you leave their classroom.

I'll never forget the first day I met Mr. Brad Dehart. I was a sophomore in high school, and on one of the last days of the school year, he waltzed into my English class to introduce himself. At my school, we only had one teacher per subject for each academic year, and Mr. Dehart came to let us know that he would be the English teacher for our junior year.

Believe me when I tell you, first impressions are everything. After hearing the enthusiasm in his voice, and listening to the way he explained our English Summer Assignment (which to this day, I still don't quite understand), I had quickly decided that this man was the best and funniest teacher I had ever met. I simply couldn't wait to be his student.

If you had told me on my first day of junior year, that in 3 years, my life would not be even remotely close to what I thought it would be, I wouldn't believe you. Because of Mr. Dehart's class, I learned to challenge myself, and realized all the things I was passionate about. He taught me not only to give my best, but to do better than my best, and to never settle. His quirks, little anecdotes, and strange sense of humor taught me that it's ok to be different, and to embrace what makes me unique and special. All of these things set my life on a different course, and led me to where I am.

Just like I'll never forget the first day I met Mr. Dehart, I'll never forget the day I heard the news. When I saw my mom's name pop up on my phone early one Saturday morning, I immediately knew something was wrong. It didn't take long after I answered her phone call for my emotions to come crashing down. The loss of someone so influential in not only my life, but the lives of everyone around me, was devastating.

While the news was surprising, earth-shattering, and one of the saddest moments my community had faced, it was also a time of great support and unending love. In true Dehart fashion, the student body, alumni, faculty, and all who loved this one-of-a-kind man rallied together. It didn't take long for the entire high school to be covered in paper hearts, coined with his name and signature catch phrases, "There it Is!", and "What a World". A memorial guitar was hung for all to see, and there were numerous fundraisers in order to honor him and help his wonderful family.

One thing that is clear to anyone who knew Mr. Dehart, was that he was a man of great compassion, love, and happiness. He was a smiling face in the hallways, pure joy in the classroom, and a friend to everyone he met. Mr. Dehart was more than just an English teacher. He took the time to get to know all of his students on a personal level, and was there to listen to all of our successes, failures, hopes, and dreams. I knew he was someone I could come to for both the serious conversations, and the silly ones.

So thank you Mr. Dehart. Thank you for being without a doubt the most influential teacher and person I have ever known. Thank you for inspiring me to reach for the stars, for always celebrating my accomplishments, and for helping me through my failures. Thank you for always making me smile, even when I didn't think it was possible.

Thank you for all of the days you stayed late in your classroom to talk to me, about everything from english class to life lessons. Thank you for taking my younger brother under your wing, who despite never getting the opportunity to be your student, found guidance in your wit and wisdom. Thank you for making me the person I am today, and for inspiring me as well as countless others.

Our community misses you more than we can possibly describe. However, we find comfort in knowing you are always watching over us, and we know that one day we will be able to hear your laugh, and give you an enthusiastic fist bump once again. What A World it is indeed Brad Dehart, because we were blessed with the chance to know you.