Submitted by Thomas Baez Tactuk (Hostos Community College)

Is not easy to understand the importance of education while we are students until one meets that right person that has helps one see the world differently. Before enrolling my current college, Hostos Community College, my goal in life was to graduate from university and get a job. I held this same idea until this current semester, until i meet Professor Joel Rodriguez, my Physics professor. Aside that Physics is a heavy course, my professor makes it even heavier with this super hard exams. However,i cannot complain about his dedication and hard work in the class. This man has spent extra, extra hours explaining us a topic over and over; he is always available for us, he is our friend, but at the same time our professor. His ideology is “I want you students to succeed in life, i want the best for you and my goal is to prepare you all for the major problems you will have to confront in life.” His words simply give me goosebumps, i feel all these positive energy being transmitted to my inner self as he speaks. I will never forget that one person that has taught me that the goal is not to get and A, B,C ,D or even F in the class, but to LEARN how to face problems and confront them. Thank you Professor Joel Rodriguez for you hard work and dedication, thanks for challenging me everyday in class and thanks for being that person to have taught me that the importance of going to school is not to pass a class, but LEARN, and make this knowledge part of myself

Submitted by Tomarah McGowan (Benedict College)

Professor Hardy was my World Literature teacher at Benedict College during my first semester as a freshman. My first immediate thought when I saw her was the idea of a stern, boring professor who would bore us all back to our dorm rooms to sleep. However, I came to find I was wrong in my judgement of character. That was one of the first lessons she taught me being in that class, to never judge one by how they look or come across as. One never knows what another person is going through, therefore, their appearance and facial expressions should not be predetermined until words have actually been spoken out of their mouths. Instead of taking roll and attempting to pronounce the various names in the class, she went into telling us stories and gave us scenarios of how college life is. She talked about the stress factors, procrastination, peer pressure, home life, income issues, the list goes on and on. Professor Hardy opened my mind to a level of maturity, simply by sitting back and observing my surroundings, my classmates, my colleagues, and take note of how not only how other perceive them, but think about how I look at them. As I followed these instructions, I began to change my attitude, the crowd I hung with, and even chose a better set of vocabulary to use. Professor Hardy made me want to be something bigger than the constant stereotype that is given to any college student. She inspired me to love what I read and learn from what I read. Books teach us a way of life, a different of viewing things, and her favorite subject, vocabulary words. As a result, I continue to read daily and occasionally look in the dictionary and pick a word, study it, and try to incorporate it into my daily conversation. Professor Hardy was an amazing instructor, and I have recommended her and gave her nothing but good praise as a literature teacher. I may have been another student to her, but to me, she was one of the best and inspiring teachers I have had thus far in my school days.

Submitted by Ryan Huether (University of Florida)

Deep within the bowels of a dank and humid swampworld, a lone figure sat hunched on the stump of an ancient tree. A cool mist rose about him, enveloping him in a concerted shroud of mystery.
Without warning he turned his face directly at me, startling me and causing me to incidentally vault head-first into puddle of mud.
Short breathy laughter followed my accident, as well as the dull thud of a small green body landing directly onto my back. I swung my arms wildly for no particular reason. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
I then proceeded to assert my effort into standing up, only to find that the thirty-five pound alien clinging to my back was strong enough with the force to hold me down. I tensed all my muscles.
“Stand you must.” The voice surprised me. It was distinctly Hensonesque but still perfectly characteristic of an otherworldly green Jedi.
I strained under his mastery of the force. “I’m trying!”
He responded sagedly, “Try not. Do. Or do not. There is not try.”

Submitted by Catarina Tomas-Francisco (Fort Morgan High School)

Through out my entire school education, I have met a wonderful teacher. She always was there helping me when I needed her. I love the fact that she is my inspiration in becoming a better and stronger person. When I was in a basic English class she told me I had the capacity to be in a high level class. She told me that it would be tougher, but that I could handle it. I really wanted to do it, but then I was afraid that I would fail and just waste time. So she gave me the hope and encouraged me to be brave and that I can handle anything that comes my way. So I went through a whole thinking process. My conscience told me take chances in life you can do it, remember what she told you. The other part of me was like, no do not do it you will fail and then you will not graduate. In many of my presentation and speeches in speech class I got a award for most improved. People told me that I was very brave and changed a lot with my speaking format. I then got the courage to do the class. When I signed up for it I was afraid I would regret what I just did. Now as I see it, this was an amazing choice I made. I love my Comp for College class. I love that she gave me the courage to step up a level and to take chances. I thank her so much because of her I have the inspiration that anything that comes my way I can face it, if I try. Mrs. Carruth you are an inspiration to me, even though you may not know it, but because of you I honestly feel that I have changed a lot. I cannot thank you enough for being there for me and giving me support. Thank you for opening my eyes and seeing things in a new perspective. Mrs. Carruth your my inspiration. An inspiration is just a step away it just there waiting for the right moment. Take chances in life, because you only live once.

Submitted by Jason Mullins (Richland High School)

My choir teacher has been such an inspiration to me. The thing that I like about her is that she has done so much for me and the other choir members at my school. She would spend countless hours working overtime helping us learn our music in rehearsals whether it be for honor choirs, competitions. concerts or even our annual evening of the arts. She always liked her students even though they made her mad sometimes. A teacher like her deserves a huge reward for everything that she has done for our school these past two years. Since I am a senior at my school, I’m going to hate the fact that she will never be my choir teacher and she will miss me as well.

Submitted by Steven Lawley (Middleburg High School)

Throughout my experience in school, I have had many teachers that helped me along the way and enjoy my time in their classes. But one in particular stood out to me, for her efforts in the classroom and out: My English Literature teacher, Mrs. Jordan. During school, I was rather shadowed. I never had the looks, couldn’t catch a football, wasn’t any teacher’s favorite, and generally just faded into the crowd, usually to sit with the other “weird people” at lunch. Mrs. Jordan, who was also the Journalism teacher and in charge of the school yearbook, seemed to notice. However, she also noticed the guitar I brought to her class every morning for my next period, Guitar I. One morning she came to me, asking if I would be interested in being in the yearbook for playing. I excitedly accepted. I don’t think she knew how much it meant to me to finally see my picture in the yearbook more than once; it stacked a skyscraper of self-esteem.
On another occasion,in the third quarter of school, Mrs. Jordan stopped me after class to discuss my work. “I see you’re getting some ‘Senioritis’ here, but you need to pick this up.” I looked at the assignments she was showing me and couldn’t believe it: She had noticed my grades slipping even before I had! With her early warning, I was able to get my grades back in order and graduate on a high note.

Submitted by Christian Perez (Texas Christian University)

Beata Jones is an amazing and inspiring professor at Texas Christian University in the Business Information Systems program. She is the perfect example of a professor that challenges her students while still providing the support to make the challenge possible to overcome. I took two courses under her instruction, Programming and Web Development and both taught me that the experience gained in the class is much more important than the grade received. Dr. Jones went above and beyond to serve all of her students. She held both in-person office hours and “virtual” office hours via email and Skype. We received the challenge of developing a website and business improvement strategies for a company and although the class spent long nights working on this project, Dr. Jones was available to support us through email, Skype, and even in-person after midnight. I feel as if I am prepared for the challenges that the real world will throw my way because of the lessons learned in her courses. Dr. Beata Jones is the definition of an inspiring educator.

Submitted by Kali Klisures (UNC Charlotte)

I took a class my senior year of high school called Cultural Media Literacy. It was taught by Mr. Phillips, a teacher who would have the greatest impact on me out of everyone in my twelve years of public schooling. In this class we studied media and the way it affects and reflects society. After viewing many problematic advertisements, movies, television shows, and music videos I realized how many issues there are in our society. I had been completely blind to them before the class and all of a sudden everything was in my face and I couldn’t ignore it anymore! Mr. Phillips influenced me to stop seeing things as they are at the surface and to start really reading deeper into them to understand their true meaning. He also made me think-he made me form my own opinions and helped me figure out who I am as a person. Because of him I speak out about my beliefs, fight against social injustices, and am more confident in myself.

Submitted by Patty Villegas (Southridge Middle School)

My teacher, Ms. Lemos, she everyday motivated us, by telling us theres always a chance, never to give up, even though many have given up, she still hasn’t given up on any of us. She makes sure we try are best, and be the best, she will support you no matter what, she pushed us to do our best on the Cst’s, that help us determine which academic classes we will recieve in the future, she is preparing us for highschool, and life, she helps pass our class, by actually letting us make up work that not many teachers do, me and my freinds worked very hard, because we recieved the push from our, teacher Ms, Lemos, she helped me through this whole year, thats what makes her a teacher that helped me pass my class, and everybody else.

Submitted by Judith Garcia (Arizona State University)

I am a social work student at Arizona State University. I am in love with the fact that I will be able to help others with the degree I will be receiving. As of lately people were criticizing me because of my choice in major. I was told by many that with my degree I would not be making any money and I was just wasting my time. I was feeling so discouraged until the day I walked into Mr. Montano class. His love for the social work field was such an inspiration to me. His passion for people was contagious. I felt that I could make a difference and he believed in every single person in that class. I felt so motivated to want to go all the way and receive my Masters in Social Work all because one teacher believed in me and showed his love for his job to us. Ever since taking that class I do not regret my choice in major and I hope to also become a professor one day and inspire my students as Mr. Montano did.