By Gillian McGoldrick
Entertainment Editor

This may sound as a surprise to many high school students (who seem to show little appreciation for pretty much everything), but the teachers across America are great. Because they devote their lives to educating and molding the minds for the future of this consummate country, the teachers deserve some appreciation for everything they do.

The week of May 6-10 was set to have students around the nation look back and see how grateful they are for all of the hard work teachers put into their jobs. According to the National Teacher Association, whom organizes this national week/day of gratitude, describes this time as “a day of honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives.”

This day of national thankfulness dates back to 1944, when Arkansas teacher, Mattye Whyte Woodridge, began to correspond between politicians and other educators to have a day to honor all of the work they put into their jobs. After Woodridge wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt in 1953, Roosevelt convinced the 81st Congress to declare a National Teacher Appreciation Day. The first National Teacher Appreciation Day took place on March 7, 1980. This stayed in the beginning of March until in 1985 the NEA met to make adjustments to the day. Now, the National Teacher Appreciation Week and Day are both in the first full
week of May.

With this week being National Teacher Appreciation week, National Teacher Appreciation Day lies right on May 7. Many companies, such as the food chain Chipotle, gave a percentage off of all teachers’ purchases to show their indebtedness for all of their dedication to their work.

“The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you on to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth.”–Dan Rather
Who is a teacher you have had in the Neshaminy School District who has inspired you to have this same feeling? Leave a comment below to show your appreciation for them.