We all know that a student’s academic life relies not only on the students themselves but also on a variety of factors such as environment, parental involvement in formative years, friends and social expectations; but which factor is almost the most important of all, the one that we think is so obvious and ends up being overlooked? The one that is almost hidden behind their students’ light, the accompanying instrument in a duet.

Teachers all over the world have proven themselves to be impactful in a variety of ways, in some cases even encouraging their students with their passion which later becomes their occupation. Bestselling author Abby Jimenez recently posted a video on a social media platform thanking her high school creative writing teacher, almost 27 years later, thanking him for shaping what she does today, selling millions of copies of books loved by many. 

Turkey’s leading figure Mustafa Kemal Atatürk forever bears the name “Kemal” which he was not born with, but rather given by his mathematics teacher in school, for his capability and maturity, as the name “Kemal” means perfection and maturity. The renowned author of the famous “Harry Potter” book series J.K. Rowling’s love for storytelling was fostered by her English teacher Ms. Nettleship, while the influential Oprah Winfrey, a household name all around the world, credits her fourth-grade teacher Mary Duncan as a key figure in her life. 

As children, we mimic our parents or guardians, taking their actions and words as examples. Similar behaviors are bred in us by what we see, hear, and feel around us. As we start going to school, that focus is slowly shifted to our teachers, as we begin to spend more time with them, being taught not only school topics but subjects of behavior, opinions on life, and overviews of our societal lives. 

In this piece, I want to highlight our heroes’ impact on who we are today, -even if it’s just a small part of it— while taking a moment to say thank you. By underestimating our second “family members”, we undermine the contributions they make, which should not be done, as they are an integral part of the glue that holds our society together.