We all had that one teacher. The one that you went to about anything and everything. Stuff going on inside and outside of school. The one that cared about you not only as a student, but as a person. And I think that teachers today don’t get enough credit for the work that they do. Because they really do care. And I have to thank one especially.

Thank you for making class fun. For making at least forty-five minutes of my day bearable when I hated school otherwise. And especially a subject like English that can be really boring if you don’t have the right teacher. You made reading plays fun, and yes, I still would LOVE to slap Mr. Van Daan.

Thank you for showing us your passion. The passion you had not only for teaching but for the subject you taught was something that was always visible. It served as an example for me, to find something I loved that much to do for the rest of my life. Sure, there were days we would hear you moan and groan about grading, but we all knew how much you loved the work that you did. That itself made class time so much fun.

Thank you for caring about me as a person. So many teachers will just care about you in their class, and then act like they don’t know you when you leave. It’s like we don’t exist outside of that class. But you never treated us like that. Even when we had moved on to the next grade level we would stop by to see you. And you always made us feel welcome and loved in your classroom. You quickly became one of my best friends, and know many secrets that not even by closest friends know. That means so much, I can’t even start to say thank you enough.

You did so much for me, but for many others as well. I know that I wasn’t the only student you touched, because someone like you touches so many lives. I can never say how much you truly helped me through high school. There were days you were the only person I wanted to talk to, and were there for some of my hardest moments.

Thanks for being an amazing teacher. But thank you more for being one of my best friends. May retirement treat you well. Continue to bless people with your friendship, because I know you’ll never stop being that amazing and wonderful teacher I had back in 2010.