“I teach. I touch the future.”
— Christa McAuliffe, Challenger astronaut and New Hampshire teacher

The first week of May is designated as Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States.

Educators play a key role in the next generation of Americans, shaping them in their formative years and instilling knowledge

But a teacher’s role is more than just instruction in academic subjects.

It irks many that schools can often be viewed by some parents as a free babysitter or day care, but it is true that a teacher does play a major child care role, especially in younger grades, where children have higher needs.

And in the aftermath of school shootings, safety has been a major concern in campuses across the nation. Teachers have an expanded role in making sure all of their students are protected.

Besides reading, math, history and other subjects, teachers prepare children for the responsibilities of life with necessary skills to thrive in society.

It is imperative that students receive the best education because of the quickly-changing technology field programs such as Project Lead the Way through Collins Career Center and the Tri-State STEM+M school are preparing high school students for future workforce needs. The teachers are leading these efforts, prepping our future leaders.

Teaching is a demanding job, requiring a high level of responsibility, and, often, is done for substandard pay. We have seen this in headlines in recent months, with strikes in West Virginia, Kentucky and other states.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank teachers for all that they do. It is through their dedication that tomorrow’s citizens will be a success.