"A Teacher Takes A Hand, Opens A Mind, and Touches A Heart."

Lately, in the spirit of Thanksgiving and Advent, I've been reflecting a lot on my blessings and what I am grateful for. Since starting my first professional job, I've reflected a lot on how I got to where I am, and there is one group of people that keep popping up front and center: my teachers. Having lived with a teacher (Mrs. Finn), I've witnessed the life of a teacher firsthand and I know that every day teachers take their work home with them. I also know there are often times that teachers get frustrated and feel unappreciated, whether it is the lower pay, the trouble students, the upset parents, or the administration. Because of this, I felt it was important that I gave a HUGE shout out to all of my teachers and all that they have done for me.

Thank you to my first teacher, my kindergarten teacher Mrs. Sheehan, for not laughing at me and encouraging me to introduce myself with pride as I constantly struggled to pronounce my name (I couldn't pronounce my L's so I used to say my name was "Harry" and would be terribly upset when people laughed at me). 

Thank you to my teachers 1st through 3rd grade Mr. Burley (and Mr. Osborn) for first sparking my desire to learn, whether it was the tombstone on the wall where we buried dead English words (i.e. "ain't") or reading about countries all over the world. I will also never forget that one of the things I looked forward to most for those 3 years were my birthdays, when I knew that I would come to school that day and you would bust out your guitar to play me any song per my request. 

Thank you to my 4th grade teacher Ms. Turner, now Mrs. White, for being my support system through a rough patch in my young years and showing me what strength is. You were facing a challenge yet no one knew your pain and suffering because you managed to come into school every day with a smile. Thank you for being tough yet warm. Also, thank you for being a good sport about all those pranks I played on you. 

Thank you to my 5th grade teacher Mrs. Baughman for going the extra mile. I was lucky to have you as a teacher, but also as a neighbor. There were many evenings that you would be taking your daily walk around our neighborhood, yet you always made sure to stop in our driveway and check-in on me.

Thank you to my Lourdes teachers and for supporting me through my awkward middle school years. Thank you for being present in the classroom, but also in the gym and on the field, as well as in church. Starting at Our Lady of Lourdes as a 6th grader at a K-8 school, you all welcomed me into the family. 

Thank you to Mrs. Elliott for making me the talented writer that I am today. 
Thank you to Mrs. Rutkowski for making me realize my love of Spanish cultures and ultimately deciding to make a career out of that passion. 
Thank you Mr. Pietrus for always making the classroom a fun environment and lightening the mood whenever you noticed that your students were having a tough day.
Thank you Mrs. Schade for ensuring that I don't hate math and for making sure that I understand the process of problem solving instead of just the final answer.
Thank you Ms. Almond for teaching me about life and pulling me in from recess when you knew I needed to cry my eyes out and talk to someone. Thank you for giving me direction and thank you for serving as my basketball coach and for calling me out on being soft when I wanted to quit.
Thank you to Mr. Johnston for all of the cool science labs we did and allowing us children to partake in dissections.
Thank you to Mrs. Getter for always giving me another challenge. I tended to finish projects (especially typing assignments) much sooner than the rest of the class, yet you were always prepared to have me do something else; therefore, I was never bored in class.
And thank you to all of the OLL teachers who I did not have directly, yet was able to bond with simply because we shared a part in the OLL community.

Thank you to all of my Saint Mary's teachers because without you, college would have been a helluva lot harder. Thank you for attending my sporting events; there was never a moment that I had a game at which several of you were not present. To those of you I did not have the pleasure of being in your class, thank you for still being a support through my high school experience, whether it was my junior speech or running into each other in Smedes.

Thank you to Dr. Esthimer. One of the greatest gifts was the gift of you teaching me to think deeper, no matter what resulted. Thank you for always asking me "why?" and making me explain myself in more than one sentence.
Thank you to Mr. Beckford. Although our time was short, you still managed to be a resource for me even after your retirement and gave me plenty of secondhand wisdom.
Thank you to Ms. Gillory for helping me strengthen my arguments through words and pushing me to be better when you knew I did not give my best effort on an assignment.
Thank you Mr. Hoskin for dealing with my football jabs in math class, as well as me talking in class often. Also thank you for serving as my adviser and solving my problems quickly. And thank you for being at all of my home basketball games. 
Thank you Mr. Edmonds for making me actually want to learn about government and politics, as well as introducing me to one of my favorite shows, "The West Wing". Thank you for also being at all of my home basketball games and being one of the best cheerleaders.
Thank you Profe, for being tough on my Spanish grammar and making me speak up in class. Before your class, I was scared to have you as my teacher, yet after, I left more confident in my language skills. Also, thank you for being an example that no matter how rough your night was, it is critical that you show up for work the next day(you champ, lolz). 
Thank you Mrs. York for being the biggest smile. Also, thank you for understanding what I was experiencing as a high school girl, whether it was a soccer loss, stress from too much homework and college applications, or the latest breakup with a boyfriend. And of course, for sharing your love of Spanish.
Thank you Dr. Greenwood for making Physics fun and never having a dull moment in your lab.
Thank you Mrs. Floyd for always being a positive support, providing more than enough help when you noticed I was struggling, even if I was too stubborn to ask for it.
Thank you Mrs. Williams for being my moral support through my Junior Speech, both as I wrote it as well as while I delivered it. Thank you for being that support during one of the most difficult (and most emotional things) I have done.

Thank you to my professors at CUA. Although we might not have shared as many personal experiences, I am still grateful for the lessons you shared with me. Thank you for always having an open door and responding to my questions and fears, even after hours. Thank you for serving as references for me as I applied for jobs and thank you for being support and lightening your workload when you knew I was writing my Thesis. 

Thank you to my teachers in Argentina, for forcing me to use Spanish and for sharing your love of Argentina. Thank you for being at teacher, as well as a liasion, during my abroad experience, whether you were telling us the best bars for futbol or restaurants for dinner, or lecturing us on the perilous cycle of politics and economics in Argentina. Thank you for always understanding although many of you did not speak English; thank you for showing that compassion and inspiration goes beyond language.

Thank you to Father Bashista and Brother Mannes, serving as my leaders of my Confirmation class this past year. Thank you for teaching me that it is more than okay to doubt and reflect on the things we are skeptical of, and thank you for teaching me the importance of loving even in doubt. 

Thank you to my best friend, Hayden Rizer, as she pursues her career to become a teacher. Thank you for being a light and inspiration, clearly following your passion and being an angel to so many young students.


And most of all, thank you to the most important teacher in my life, Mrs. Finn. I could list all of the things you taught me, but I would probably have to write a novel as long as The Odyssey. Therefore, I'll keep it short.

I can personally say with complete conviction that all of these teachers have affected my life very directly. You all have came into my life, and remained in it, because you truly believe in your students. You all have met me as a student, yet now know me as the adult that I have become. Unlike many students, I am still in communication with all of you, whether it is on Facebook or running into you while running errands. I have even been lucky enough to share drinks with you (how many students can say that they have that kind of relationship with their former teachers?! Haha!) 

Thank you to all of you for still holding an active interest in my life and adventures. You guys are always up-to-date on what I have been doing and continue to show a passion for supporting me, especially as I transition into this thing called the real world.

Thank you to any teacher I may have left out and thank you to all the teachers that I have not met. You are equally as important in this crazy thing called life. 

Although I have tried to give you all a shout out, there are no words or gifts that could possibly reflect my gratitude. So hopefully on this dreary Monday, this brief thank-you will make you all smile. If there is one thing I want you to remember the most it is that you have made a HUGE difference in this student's life, and I am more than certain that you are shaping other students daily. Any student would be lucky to have you and I wish that every student had the opportunity to have you as their teacher. 

Besos,

Haley

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." ~Henry Brooks Adams