From grading mountains of essays to creating hundreds of PowerPoints to spending hours upon hours caring for their students, teachers are, quite literally, our superheroes. They might not have a magical hammer or an arc reactor, but armed with tons of glittery gel pens and dry-erase Expo markers, teachers pass on their knowledge to their students, arming them with the power to grow and establish themselves as fine, admirable individuals.

This week, from May 3rd until May 7th, is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and as always, ACP’s StuGo has outdone themselves. Starting on Monday, they delivered small trinkets and gifts, from roses to goody bags, to every teacher on campus to thank them for their exceptional hard work. While StuGo is thanking teachers on the behalf of the school, you too can participate in Teacher Appreciation Week! Here are some short, fun ideas over how to thank your teachers.

A Letter

Sometimes, a few heartfelt lines can go a long way. Take the time to find a pretty piece of paper and jot down a short, simplistic message to your favorite teachers. Let them know how they have personally helped you, or something that you enjoy about their class or teaching; thank them for everything they’ve done or maybe even compose a short poem or illustrate a quirky little picture. If you want to go big, write them a creative short story accompanied with an illustration.

Gift Cards

While definitely one of the easier present ideas, gift cards are also great gifts. An Amazon gift card can let your teacher purchase absolutely anything for him/her or their classroom, while a gift card to their favorite restaurant or coffee place could entice a relaxing meal and moment. Gift cards can also be paired with the aforementioned letter or with any of the following presents.

Candles or Soap (and Fluffy Socks)

In recent times, candles have most definitely become very popular. Not only do they release fantastic scents when lit, but they also create an idle, unwinding atmosphere ideal for relaxation and stress-free situations. Candles can be paired with either soap or fluffy socks, or even both! While soap may not seem like too enticing of a gift, for some individuals (like myself) soap is a very practical, exciting knickknack to receive. As for fluffy socks, they can be found, quite literally, anywhere. In my experience, teachers really enjoy fluffy socks (who doesn’t like fluffy socks?).

Succulents

While plants may be too much work, succulents are a lot easier to take care of and tend to (not to mention, you can find them practically anywhere, from Trader Joes to Home Depot to Target). There are various types of succulents to chose from and you can even get a cute, simple ceramic pot, or an intricate glass dome to house the plant in.

A Basket of Trinkets

This gift idea might seem like the most work, but it’s also one of the most thoughtful ideas. Purchase a basket (could be a bucket or a box, too!) from stores like Michaels or Walmart and a bunch of other little thingamabobs to create an amalgamation of gifts for your teacher (kind of like an Easter basket). Write them a letter, poem, story or draw a picture and add a candle, some soap, fluffy socks, succulents and candies or chocolates. Maybe even throw in a novel or two and a Starbucks gift card.

Make sure to show your appreciation for your teachers, Knights, to thank them for all their hard work. On the behalf of the Knight Times’ newspaper staff, I’d like to thank every single one of our teachers here on campus, and our wonderful staff, for their devotion to our education, our students, and our campus. Thank you for striving for the impossible and being extraordinary!