National Teacher Day

Today is National Teacher Day. It's a day to salute the people who teach our kids. Teachers are special people. They have what is probably one of the most important and difficult jobs a person can have...preparing our kids for the future.

Some teachers have the gift of inspiration. It's something that I imagine is much more difficult to do today than it used to be--to inspire today's youth. There are so many more distractions for kids now. When I was in school, I had a couple of very inspiring teachers. One teacher inspired me to get into radio. His name is Dr. Rick Wright and he was one of my instructors at Syracuse University, where he continues to teach and inspire to this day.

Another teacher of mine in elementary school was Mrs. Gertrude Kallfelz. She taught me in 5th AND 6th grades, so I saw Mrs. Kallfelz A LOT. The thing that I'll always remember about her was that she was tough. She expected excellence, and she frequently got it from her students. Even though she was a tough teacher, she always made herself available if a student needed extra help. A few years ago, I looked her up and gave her a call. She had been retired for years, but she still remembered me. She used to call me "Billy" and I referred to myself with that old childhood nickname when I called. I told her thanks for inspiring me to do my best and that she was a great teacher. She was flattered...I could tell. We talked for a few minutes more and then I said good-bye. I heard a couple of years later that she had passed away. I was so glad that I had called her and thanked her before she died.

If there's a teacher from your past that inspired you, why not do what I did? Call them and thank them for being there for you. It'll make their day...guaranteed.

THANKS to all the teachers out there. You ARE appreciated.

Will Johnson