RHS celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week in style, with school administrators, staff and students giving well-deserved props to approximately 122 educators at the high school, during the week of May 6 to May 10.
The origin of the annual holiday dates back to 1953, when Arkansas school teacher Mattye White Woodridge thought there should be a celebration dedicated to teachers. In 1953, she convinced lawmakers to adopt the first full week of May as a national celebration of educators.
RHS held many celebratory events for its educators. The Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) and administrators sponsored a luncheon and a grab-and-go dessert bar, so teachers could dig in to their favorite sweet treats, as well as a traveling snack cart.
Students also honored their favorite educators with thank you notes, posters and shout-outs all week long. Most students agreed that teachers had positively impacted their lives, and it was heartwarming to see so many young adults taking advantage of the opportunity to give back to their teacher-mentors.
One of the most effective ways students thanked their teachers was with handwritten letters. Clubs including the National English Honor Society (NEHS) and the Future Educators of America (FEA) participated in letter-writing campaigns, collecting and sharing students’ words of thanks with their teachers.
Many teachers felt especially honored when their positive impact was spotlighted for the whole school to see. Members of the Black Student Union (BSU) chose to spotlight their appreciated teachers through Instagram, posting fun, spirited photos of the students with their selected teachers.
Finally, Rampage invited students to express appreciation for their chosen teachers by writing them notes and posing for photos with them. Included below and in the attached photo gallery are a sampling of the results:
“Ms. Jennis has gone above and beyond for each and every student she has. I am picking this teacher because of the incredible work she has done for all of her students, between personalized plans created for each student based on their writing, taking her own time to summarize every chapter of our homework reading and using her free time to encourage students to learn.”—Shauna Gelman, senior
“I would pick Mr. Matyas because he is an approachable and kind person. He is always willing to work with me and my accommodations and is very understanding and supportive.” —Abby Levine, sophomore
“Ms. Poff is the most supportive, understanding teacher I have ever had. I am very grateful for her guidance and to have her as my teacher.” —Allie Milligan, senior
“Mr. Zavala because he is very chill and always tries to understand his students. His lessons are interactive, which makes it fun to learn history, a subject I usually don’t prefer.” –Emily Hochstuhl, junior
“Mrs. Finnell makes journalism engaging, and I have learned so much from her. She is always there to talk, and I love seeing her every day!” –Jane Doran, sophomore
