Allow me to preface with one fact: my mother is a first grade teacher. My entire life, I’ve had a front row seat to all of the hard work, dedication, love, patience and kindness required to be an educator, and I was taught to respect those who offer it. Yet, far too often, these rare and valuable individuals are overlooked, or worse, taken advantage of. Despite the overwhelming effort so many teachers pour into their work and their students, their drive to help us as students succeed, and their passion to better another generation has become a simple expectation. While the job could easily be done with indifference, countless students’ lives have been impacted by those many people who go above and beyond to give us a head start in life.

So, teachers, let me say “thank you”. For your time, your care, your interest in me and so many others. While politicians and government officials have attempted to make school a game of tests and numbers, your dedication allowed us to stay more than just another number on a page. We know that you could so easily fall into the habit of fulfilling the necessities and meeting requirements, but those of you who put in the extra mile truly make all the difference in the world. Not only do you act as an educator, but as a role model, and inspiration and a motivator. As a student, it is so easy to fall into a path of mediocrity. As demands and challenges rise, our drive often falls to match. I cannot even begin to image how many individuals today would never had fulfilled their potential without the belief and assistance of a wonderful teacher behind them.

I’ve seen how much this job takes out of a person, and I’m sure there are thousands of times you question yourself and your sanity for entering into the education field. But trust me, you are valued. You are loved, you are wanted, and you are needed. Sometimes, you just aren’t thanked - or at least, you aren’t thanked enough. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you do.