Teachers around the world instill inspiration into their students in every way possible. Whether it be challenging students to work harder than they’ve done before, or setting goals their student might have never thought possible until the moment they reach that particular goal, they find new ways to help students. As the building blocks of our academic careers, teachers are driven individuals who want nothing but to see their students succeed. They not only treat students with kindness and respect but also act as a mental light to ensure the well-being of all students. Teachers inspire us by demonstrating their enthusiasm for their subjects while making learning fun in a way that brings the power of joy to everyone. Making a difference in each and every student’s life, teachers make a huge impact and truly care about students. Teachers might not know, but students appreciate all of their teachers and their dedication to take students past their limitations. Their hard work never goes unnoticed as their positive attitude influences students. They are one of the very reasons that we, as students, keep going even if we don’t want to, because students know in the end, teachers always bolster them up. I had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Thompson, one of our new teachers here at ACP.

Mr. Thompson became a science teacher because, “I was hooked during my first biology class in college. That class had a very cool teacher. Since then, I’ve loved science and everything about it”. I asked him what inspired him to teach chemistry, to which he responded, “My undergrad degree was Biochemistry, and that degree is about 70 percent chemistry and 30 percent biology. I have more confidence with chemistry and am very fond of it, so I wanted to teach what I know to young people.” Mr. Thompson’s greatest challenge in teaching students is “saying no”. Something people would be surprised to find about Mr. Thompson is that he once “taught prisoners in a classroom and one of them was my Math TA in the class.” I asked how he motivates his students, to which he stated, “That’s the real challenge in education today. In a society where you can look up anything in about five minutes on Google or YouTube. If you can get someone to see the value in the lesson, teaching becomes the easy part. I motivate my students by encouraging them to push themselves to be the best version of themselves.”

For Mr. Thompson, a typical Sunday night for him is “dinner and a fun movie at home with my wife and three daughters, two dogs, and chinchilla.” I asked whether he would travel to the future or to the past to which he responded, “I would rather travel to the future. It would be nice to see something new. Having too much knowledge in the past can get you in trouble.” For fun, the dog breed that Mr. Thompson would be if he could be any is a “a pug because they are lazy and get carried everywhere.”

Teachers are the light at the end of the tunnel. They shine through our lives as a beacon with the power of education. They go the extra mile to provide support and encouragement, inspiring students to pursue their dreams and never stop believing in themselves. They believe that everyone has the power to do something great as long as they believe they can, and so they will. Teachers like Mr. Thompson shape students’ characters and instill in them a love for knowledge and a desire to make a difference in the world. Our confidence and strength come from our devoted teachers every day, as they bring a little light to our worries until their worries vanish into thin air.