In my 16 years of education, I've had many teachers, all of whom, served different purposes....

There was the third grade teacher that got me through my parents first separation, without even realizing she was doing so. Each night, I would simply cover my ears with my pillow, trying to block out the screaming matches, and I would think about what we had done in class that day. At that time, it was my teacher that gave me the love and affection I so desperately craved at home.

There were the middle school teachers that, God love them, put up with me when I was a downright shit. Middle school is a tough time for most, and it certainly was for me. If I wasn't getting laughs from my classmates, I wasn't happy. My eighth grade teachers gave me the tough love I needed to survive my transition to High School.

There was the US History teacher that somehow got me to voluntarily sign up for my one and only AP class in high school: APUSH. One semester with her was not enough, and I craved the time I got in her class. She was funny, smart, kind, and most importantly she believed in me. She had faith in me and my capabilities even when I didn't have believe in myself. She inspired me to strive for greatness every day, and to this day, I hope to have another teacher like her.

There was the Spanish teacher that got me through the toughest time in my life. Senior year, I lost everything, my life turned upside down after a traumatic brain injury. Rather than turning her back on me and letting me fall through the cracks in the system, she carried me through the rest of the semester. She showed kindness and compassion, and somehow I survived those few months and made it to graduation, a feat I was incapable of without her.

There was the nutrition professor, who quite literally saved my life by confronting me about the obvious signs of my eating disorder. Without her bravery and guidance during that rough time, who knows if I would've sought treatment and turned my life around.

Most recently, there was the English Professor. Not happy about taking Intro to English for a second time due to a transfer, I did not come into the class with a positive mindset. Within a few weeks, that attitude changed. For the first time in my writing career, I felt like I was learning something. My time in the classroom was not wasted. She was bright, and joyful, and full of passion for teaching. That class became my favorite, and I actually learned something, not something i can say for most of my college courses.

Teachers, or future teachers, if you're reading this, you matter, because without you, no child would learn to better themselves. Yes, my teachers have taught me writing, and reading, and spanish, and math, but more importantly they taught me who I am and who I want to be.

They taught me to strive for better, to never give up, to not count myself out. Their kindness taught me to perservere, to work towards a goal, and to never say never.

Without my teachers, I would not be who I am today. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you teachers, our world would be lost without your passion and your talents for sharing knowledge and instilling confidence in our youth.