Amongst the many holidays celebrated during the second quarter of the school year, Veteran’s Day is one of them: a federal holiday to commemorate veterans of the armed forces and those who lost their lives during their service. Originating in 1919, it was known as “Armistice Day” and was celebrated on the first anniversary of the 1918 armistice that ended World War I. To honor this special day, let’s look at some of the veterans that teach at our school such as Mr. Blueford (Army) one of the Marketing Instructors, Mrs. Hoang (Army) the Computer Science teacher, Mrs. Hudson (Coastal Guard), one of our Culinary Instructors, and Mr. Jordan (Army), one of our English teachers. All three of these wonderful and honorable teachers have served in the U.S. Army. Today, we’ll be getting to know more about one of these veterans, Mrs. Hoang, and her experience serving in the military, along with why she decided to pursue teaching.

Mrs. Hoang was new to the United States and was working part-time while attending her first semester at a community college when she met a recruiter, who told her about the G.I. Bill Program. She decided to join and “had the opportunity to work and live among young American adults, improve her English command, learn more about other cultures, acquired the skills and strengths needed to successfully serve as a soldier, and gained the confidence that I can do anything I set my mind to.”, she explains. When asked about what made her transition from the military to the field of education, she says, “Teaching is my life-long passion. I grew up in Vietnam and after the fall of South Vietnam, most educated people either fled the country or were sent to re-education camps. Besides my father, teachers were one of the most important and influential people in my life, and I longed to be one of them.” Mrs. Hoang further comments that the best part about being a teacher is being able “to work with the youth and help shape their minds, mentor them, and watch them grow.” In addition, helping students find their potential and fulfill their dreams is one of the most satisfying and proud experiences she has felt as a teacher.

When Mrs. Hoang recalled that in her childhood, teachers made an impact in her life, I completely agree with her. If you think about it, by the time a child is five to six years old, they spend half of their 12-hour-day away from their parents. Though having parents that are a good influence on the child is obviously important, it’s also just as impactful that the people they surround themselves with outside of the home, such as friends, classmates, and of course, teachers, are a positive influence as well. For me, while my parents were major factors in my personality, it was my friends and my teachers that shaped me into the person I am today. In correlation to the military, having teachers that understand the ups and downs of life, and be willing to help their students flourish and grow under their wing, is essential to the future of the world. In other words, our teachers and veterans deserve a big thank you for all the work they have done for our country and for this generation of students. The impact they have made to millions of lives will never be forgotten.