You have no clue how much you helped me. I don’t know what I would have done in high school without you. You were a teacher, a support system, and a friend. You bonded with us over music, movies, sports, and real life issues. You were the light in our dark halls. There would be days when I didn’t think I was going to make it through, but after just one conversation with you I knew I would be okay.

I will never forget the day when I stepped into your classroom for the first time. I was so excited to be a part of your class. Walking into your room was like a breath of fresh air, and anyone that stepped into your classroom would agree that it was an escape from the stress of high school. There was never a day that I dreaded coming to see you.

There aren’t enough words to tell you how grateful I am that you took so much time out of your life to be there for us. You were there to help us not only grow academically but personally. Having you as a part of my life helped me realize so many things about myself. If there were things that I couldn’t figure out on my own, you were there to help in some way. From politics to relationships, you helped us understand life just a little bit more every day. One thing I’ll forever be grateful for is that you looked at us as young adults instead of just seeing us as little kids.

You gave some of the best advice that anyone could ever receive and that alone is what helped me through high school. I learned that sometimes the best thing to do is just say okay and move on. I also learned that life is like the game of Tetris because you don’t always get to pick what is thrown your way; you sometimes have to learn how to move things around to make it work in life. Thanks to you I know that I have to build my world brick by brick and that all my work can be destroyed in a day, but how I respond to the destruction is what the world sees.

One thing that I could never say thank you enough for is for helping me realize my calling in life. I thought that I knew, for the longest time, what I wanted to do when I left high school. I thought I had everything figured out. My junior year of high school I began to take pictures for yearbook, and you encouraged me to continue photography because you saw potential in me. I took pictures of anything and everything (mainly because we needed it for the yearbook.) By the time my senior year arrived, I was taking pictures for all different things. We were having a conversation one afternoon in your classroom and you asked me what I was planning on majoring in once I got to college. I told you Biology and you just kinda chuckled. In that moment, you looked at me and said, “Why don’t you consider Journalism or even Communications? You have a great gift and would be amazing at it.” I laughed and went on with senior year not even thinking about it. Little did I know how right you were.

When I started college, I was a biology major and was so set that it was what I was going to stick with. I woke up one morning and was so unhappy with even the THOUGHT of being a biology major; it wasn't for me. The only degree that I could even find myself being happy in was Journalism. I changed my major that week and haven’t looked back. So, thank you for not only helping me grow into who I am today, but for also always being in my corner and encouraging me every step of the way.

Sincerely,

A Former Student