Students may not remember every lesson taught in their classrooms. They may not remember every homework assignment, quiz or worksheet.
But they will remember the teacher who believed in them, the teacher who noticed when they were struggling, and the teacher who made school feel like a place where they belonged. They will remember how those teachers made them feel.
I was reminded of this recently during this year’s Orange County Teachers of the Year announcements. In classroom after classroom, students erupted with joy as educators were recognized for the difference they had made in young people’s lives. What stood out most was not the applause or celebration. It was the unmistakable connection between students and the adults who had helped shape their confidence, curiosity and sense of purpose.
During National Teacher Appreciation Week, it is worth remembering that this kind of extraordinary teaching is happening quietly in classrooms across Orange County every single day.
It happens when a teacher stays after school to help a struggling student. It happens when they notice a child having a difficult day and take the time to listen. And it happens when they create classrooms where students feel safe enough to ask questions, take risks and grow.
Great teachers do far more than deliver lessons. They help students discover strengths they may not yet see in themselves. They encourage young people through difficult moments and remind them that setbacks do not define their future.
As someone whose own life was shaped by educators who saw possibility in me before I saw it in myself, I understand firsthand the lasting impact teachers have on young people. They do more than prepare students academically. They help lift them toward brighter futures.
In Orange County, approximately 22,000 educators serve students each day, including those teaching in neighborhood schools as well as OCDE’s own ACCESS and Connections programs. Their work often happens behind the scenes and without recognition, but its impact lasts for years. Long after students leave a classroom, they remember the adults who challenged them, supported them and helped them believe in their own potential.
That is why National Teacher Appreciation Week matters. It gives us the opportunity to pause and celebrate a profession that helps shape lives, families and entire communities.
Our teachers lift others every single day, often without fanfare or recognition. This week gives us the opportunity to thank them for all they do — and for all they make possible.