Teacher Appreciation Week, May 4-10, is signified by showing appreciation to all the teachers who make a solid foundation of learning for the students and to further them into a well-established and successful adult.

As John F. Kennedy once said, "Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation."

The teachers in USD 254 deserve to be applauded for their commitment of educating our children. As children grow, so do their minds and their potential.

Teacher Appreciation Week is backed by the National Education Association (NEA), the largest professional employee organization. The NEA Teacher Day annual theme has been replaced with a standing tagline, "Great Teachers Make Great Public Schools," and draws attention to the crucial role teachers play in making sure every child receives a quality public education and conveys the hard work they do each day to make public schools great for every child.

According to the NEA website, the origins of National Teacher Day are murky. Around 1944 Arkansas teacher Mattye Whyte Woodridge began corresponding with political and education leaders about the need for a national day to honor teachers. Woodbridge wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, who in 1953 persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day.

NEA, along with its Kansas and Indiana state affiliates and the Dodge City (Kan.) Local, lobbied Congress to create a national day celebrating teachers. Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day for that year only. NEA and its affiliates continued to observe National Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March until 1985, when the National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May. The NEA Representative Assembly then voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day. Celebrated on the Tuesday of the first full week of May, the actual date varies each year. For more information about the weeklong celebration, visit the PTA’s at www.pta.org.

There are numerous ways of returning the gratitude to educators who give their students knowledge everyday.

"You can show appreciation to the teachers by showing them as much respect as you can," Michella Becker, senior at MLHS, reminded.

By having the student simply do the best to their ability gives most teachers the utmost appreciation. During the week of Teacher Appreciation, students can do simple projects such as certificates, pencil holders or even a heartfelt "thank you."

Teachers have chosen a challenging profession that not only has an impact on the future of individuals but also on the future of our nation.

Be sure to give your favorite educator a big "thumbs up" for their encouragement and involvement in our lives.