Dear 5th Grade Teacher,

Hi, it's me, that little chubby girl who was in your class 10 years ago. I look a little different now - my hair is short, I don't usually wear it in two braids, I'm a little bit taller, and I no longer have a huge gap between my teeth - but I'm still me. You probably won't even read this, but I just wanted to take the time to thank you for the hugely positive impact you made on my life.

5th grade was NOT my year. It was one of those years where I had to redo my picture day picture because I was all over the place. It was tough, and you knew that. I remember when my Mom told me that she had spoken to you about how we were going through a hard time, I was mortified. I could not believe she would do that! I didn't want my teacher knowing what went on outside of school and knowing all about my personal life! That just didn't seem right. I was even more mortified when you asked if I would have lunch with you one day, just me and you. What would you say? Would I be in trouble? Would the other kids notice?

Little did I know the profound impact you would have on my life. You shared a little bit of your life with me to make me feel less alone, and for the first time, I felt comfortable talking about my feelings. And boy, was it a big relief to get all of that off of my chest. You told me it was okay to share my feelings, be upset, and even cry. In that moment I knew I could be honest, and that my teachers would always be there to support me, no matter what was going on in my life.

Ten years later, I still think of you as one of my favorite teachers. You made me feel strong, empowered, and normal, in a time where things seemed anything but normal. You reassured me everything would be okay and that I would get through this, and even though I didn't believe you at the time, you were right. You made 5th grade MY year, even though I started off the year wondering what would happen, and overthinking my little brain until it almost exploded. So thank you, for everything. You are a wonderful person, and any child that has you as their teacher is one lucky kid.

To my future teacher friends, you have the potential to make such a difference in a child's life. My teacher turned my negative, harsh thinking into positive thinking, which led me to some of the best opportunities and friendships I could have asked for. Teachers will forever amaze me at their ability to empower and support children, and I have the utmost respect for all of you - and teachers everywhere. Keep doing what you're doing, because you will most certainly make a difference in someone's life.

So, thank you, again, fifth grade teacher. Now a junior in college, I'm not sure where I would be without what you taught me about being positive, confident and expressing my feelings. You are a wonderful person and I hope you are doing well.

Sincerely,

Your Former Student