Dear Teachers:

Happy Hump Day and Day 3 of Teacher Appreciation Week! I ended up writing today’s appreciation note on my blog page due to the amount of content I wanted to convey. Today’s appreciation goes to all the teachers who helped mold who I am today in the Alvord Unified School District (Riverside, CA) and my post-secondary educational journey. People tend to remember their teachers for years after they finish school. Great teachers can inspire students to become something that they never thought they could be, or to work in a career that they did not think they would be good at.

I want to personally thank Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Hodo, Mrs. Kemp, Dr. Kathy Wright, Mr. Heinz, Mrs. Adams (Arlanza Elementary grades K to 5th); Mr. Peña, Mr. Piper, Mr. Stephens, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Leslie, Mr. Pouge, Ms. Gray, Mr. Baca, Mr. Wolf (Wells Intermediate); Mr. Baglietto, Ms. Chalk, Mr. Fogherty, Mr. Ron Edmondson, Mr. Henry, Mr. Dub Dosier, Mr. Kaufhold, Mrs. Nelson (Norte Vista HS); Dr. David Bellis & Dr. Chuck Christie (CSUSB), Dr. Anne Viricel (University of Redlands). These teachers (whose names I can remember) helped mold who I am today.

Those who know me well know that I grew up in a low-socioeconomic community (you can see this by the schools I attended). Low socio-economic communities are consistently challenged with risk factors that plague communities. Black & Latino males exponentially deal with inequities such as low educational achievement, poverty, crime, and poor health. I can say that if I would not have had the above-mentioned teachers, I would not be in the career I am today, have my beautiful family, or have had the opportunity to be elected and serve as a school board member in Fontana USD.

These teachers were able to positively affect my life with policies and practices that have undergone significant changes over the past two decades. They were able to influence me without the technological advances we have today. The one constant that has continued from the “old school” way of teaching and the “new school” way of teaching is relationships and heart. All my teachers had a love for making a difference in the lives of their students.

Teachers have to be patient, sympathetic, loving, nurturing, supportive, respectful, and flexible just to name a few characteristics. They have to be lifelong learners to improve their craft. Teaching is not only for the students, but teachers as well. Teaching is a very stressful and demanding job. Most districts have on average 180 school days a year, but you all work way more than what most perceive.

You are each making a difference. Your work has a purpose. You get the opportunity to touch the lives of your scholars and contribute to making their future success. You deal with many obstacles such as our current pandemic, new technology, teaching standards, and new policies and practices. Teachers are in the profession of molding our youth into citizens that eventually can become decision-makers. That should tell you how important your work is.
I’m sure each of you can go back and remember those teachers who made a difference in your lives. Teaching is a profession that makes connections that last a lifetime.

In the words of writer, William Arthur Ward, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” Thank you to all who inspired me and inspire their students to believe in themselves!

Much love,

Mars Serna