Educating for a Lifetime
May 06, 2026
People often say that the impact of a teacher is not measured in a single school year but measured in the lasting difference they make over a lifetime. I can certainly identify with and testify to the truth of that statement. I have shared before about some of my own teachers who impacted me for a lifetime. Mr. Frazier was my fourth-grade teacher, and Miss Walters was my fifth-grade teacher. Both of them inspired confidence and character in me through the way they spoke to me and by the opportunities they gave me to be a leader. If I were asked today who my favorite teachers were, they would both be at the top of the list for my elementary experience because they encouraged me to be my best. I was fortunate to have teachers and coaches who would fill that space in my junior high and high school education as well.
To say our teachers and coaches are amazing and to say they are educating for a lifetime is a huge understatement. Just this week, I heard from multiple parents about the tremendous influence particular teachers and coaches are having on the lives of their students, along with the incredible level of gratitude they feel for the opportunity their students have to be taught and mentored by such amazing people. I am confident that every one of our teachers and coaches, from early learning through high school, has shaped the lives of multiple students and will end up on students’ lists as “favorite teacher” or “favorite coach.”
Like you, I share a deep and genuine gratitude for our teachers and coaches and the influence they have in shaping the lives of our students. Please join me in praying for our teachers and coaches and in looking for opportunities to bless them in recognition of National Teacher Appreciation Week. Take time this week to let them know just how much they are valued and appreciated.
With deep gratitude,
Dr. Ken Friesen
