Thank You, Teachers

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Goshen-area students surprised their favorite teachers with letters expressing gratitude for the positive impact they’ve had on their lives.

Two of the students attend West Goshen Elementary School and two study at Goshen College. The students expressed gratitude for the ways their teachers have mentored them both in and out of the classroom.

One student, a first grader from West Goshen Elementary, had been with the same teacher, Brenda Estrada, for three years. The student, who speaks English as a second language, initially struggled. With the help of teacher and classmates, she is now thriving. Estrada says the student is the strongest person she knows.

Lane MacDonald, a student at Goshen College, wrote a letter to Goshen College Professor of Communication, Duane Stoltzfus, thanking him for challenging him to perform at his best in the classroom –– and for being the father-like role model he always wished he had.

The teachers, hearing the contents of the letter for the first time, are clearly moved by the experience. Many of the teachers, including Stoltzfus, stated that hearing the students’ feedback reinforced the reason they pursued teaching in the first place.