Thank you, teachers in District 46

I feel so lucky to have grown up in Grayslake Elementary District 46. Starting at Woodview School and working my way through Frederick and the middle school, I was surrounded by fantastic teachers and support staff every year. Those people have had such a huge, positive impact on my life, providing me with an abundance of support and encouragement that made a strong foundation for my education and future.

My wonderful teachers are a huge reason I am at the University of Illinois pursuing a major in elementary education. They had such a positive impact on my life, and I want to do the same for my students.

My mom is a sixth-grade teacher at Frederick, so I’ve seen teachers at work and at home. I know some young students tend to think that teachers live at school, and while that is not true, teachers live for school. They get to work early, stay late, and at home spend hours preparing lessons that will engage their students. These teachers don’t just assign homework and punch in some grades. They are shaping lives, teaching skills that won’t just be needed for tests, but for futures. So many teachers, when they talk about their students, refer to them as my kids.

I think teaching is one of the most difficult but most rewarding jobs in the world. Rarely are teachers thanked, so I’ll speak for the whole lot of kids that you teachers helped raise as we sat in your classrooms: We appreciate your effort, your time, your commitment to helping us achieve success, your sacrifices, your generosity, and for always being there to encourage us to keep on going when things got rough. Now it’s our turn, as a community, to cheer you on.

Tayler Janda

Grayslake