Hi,

Its been a long time hasnt it?

I haven’t really seen you much. I’ve been on the road lately, from college to my first job, not much time to pop in and see you. I just wanted to write this and say, well thank you, for so much. It seems like a lifetime ago that i was in your class. My mop bucket of a head sitting either right up front, or slightly in the back in the small cramped desks, honestly i think it depended on where the rows ended with my last name. I think i looked more lost than most and i still had that devilish grin on my face basically at all times. You knew if i could blend in if i wanted to or standout, depended on the day i guess. Even with this odd kid in your class, i still cant believe what my life would have been like if i didn’t have you.

I know sometimes it didnt seem like i was learning, maybe it reflected in the papers or test i handed in that was not up to the par that you knew i was capable of and i guess i just didnt know how great i was until you sat down with me and explained it all. I was listening all those classes, listening to every word you had to say or example you had to give. Especially math, even tho i absolutely was abysmal at the subject you always had time for a tutor session here or there. Even in the things i excelled at like public speaking, history or writing; you never stopped pushing me to where i could be even when i felt comfortable. Even today i still take that “Practice makes better” mentality and try to improve something of myself each day i wake up.

I wanted to be a part of sports even with my non athletic talent, you still helped me find a way.

Even when i basically had no athletic talent, you still let me be a part of the team. Even tho i was not on the ice i still felt like i was a part of the team being the manager. Maybe i had to carry sticks to the bench or fill up waters but it taught me a lesson or two lessons. It taught me, one: You need to work in the nitty gritty to earn respect and when you get higher up that hard work will pay off, and the second: You may have a minor part on a team yet you are still a member of the team and it still makes up the identity of who we are. In was able to toughen up and become a man that is respected and hardworking because of the times on the bench and in the classroom.

Even during one of the most pinnacle of times when all students have unease and butterflies in their stomach you were still my MVP. Of course I’m referring to the college process. During that process, i was so nervous that i may not get into the school i wanted or the program i was eyeing or even a . good college at all, but you never lost faith in me. You made sure i was bound for a good education no matter what it took out of your personal time. Summers writing the college essays or the Common Application run through that i think i asked about 1000 times. Look at me now, two degrees in five years and now i’m working at Colleges. Something i may never have dreamed i would do but yet you set me up for success

You don’t always get enough credit for what you do. You sacrifice some days to be at school a little bit earlier or little bit later just to give us the opportunity to bump our grades up. Even when we fell short after that support and we slipped through the crack and come begging for help you never fell flat on your desire to be what great teachers are. Even when we misbehaved i don’t think you ever yelled at us with the intent to wound, a shot across the bow as we deserved.

I cant fully explain what great impact you have had on my life, i think this letter would go off the charts and never end. Mostly because every day i use something you taught me, either from a book or who you were. You taught me what it meant to be a man of poise and class, a standard i have kept myself to for all this time. I act as a gentleman because thats what you taught me to be it, what you knew i should be. That doesn’t mean to be afraid or have too much pride, it was to stand up for what i believe in and who i believe in and to not forget the importance of standing by a good moral compass. Now that i am in charge of people as their supervisor, i stand by the example you set for me and i try to be a good example for them just as you did for me.

Although not all of you can read this right now for what ever reason prevents you, i hope you know i never forget the good teachers. The ones that live forever in our minds are the ones who took care of us but taught us life lessons even when you had giv tough love ones . We have gone on to do so many different and unique things trust me i never thought i see myself where i am today

Ill try to stop in soon, i swear and it will be like the good ole times even if im 24 and the size of a lineman. I cant wait to share that moment with you and tell you all about my journey, its a real page turner. (even if i didn’t really read in school).Until then i hope your current students really learn to appreciate the work you do.

I know we all do now

Till then, Peace & Blessings.