I’m a firm believer that teachers very rarely get the “thank you” they deserve.</p><p>I’ve had some pretty great teachers over the years. From the second grade teacher who patiently taught me cursive (Mrs. Jerebeck) to the journalism professor who pushed me to be the best writer I could be, and consequently, made me quite annoyed most days when he returned my stories covered in red ink – I’m talking about you, Dr. Fair! </p><p>But the teacher I would most like to say “thank you” to is Mr. Wiedman, my eighth grade language arts teacher. </p><p>Mr. Wiedman was the first teacher to encourage me to write. One of my first assignments in eighth grade English was to write a 250-word story about a topic of choice. I wrote about a boy who wakes up one morning to find he’d been transformed into a baby bird (For the record, it wasn’t until high school that I found I had unintentionally ripped-off Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”).</p><p>Mr. Wiedman read my story to the class as an example of good writing and I can pretty much pin-point that moment as when I decided I wanted to write for a living. </p><p>Everyone will agree that teachers are important. But great teachers – those who go the extra mile, who push their students a little harder and expect better results – are vital. That’s why I love interviewing the Blue Springs School District Teacher of the Year. </p><p>In a district the size of Blue Springs, there are a ton of great teachers. But the one that’s named Teacher of the Year is the best of the best. These are the teachers that truly love what they do and it shows. </p><p>Everyone has a great teacher who inspired them, pushed them, encouraged them to do something better. Where would you be without the first grade teacher who taught you to read? Or the math teacher who didn’t let you give up on Pythagorean and his horrible theorem. And yes, I suppose the chemistry teachers deserve a shout-out too (though I have never, ever used my knowledge of the Periodic table in real life).</p><p>They are the teachers who are so excited about what they’re teaching, they get you excited too. Which is not an easy feat when they’re talking about math, grammar or American history to a bunch of students who would probably rather be somewhere else. </p><p>This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week and I can think of no better way to celebrate than by thanking the person who pushed you a little further and encouraged you in some way or another.</p><p>So thanks Mr. Wiedman and thanks to all the teachers of the year. </p><p>They may not all be recognized, but to at least one student, you’ve done an amazing job and we won’t forget you. </p><p><i>Emily Jarrett is a staff writer for the Journal. To respond to today’s commentary, call 816-282-7018 or e-mail ejarrett@bluespringsjournal.com.</i>