Teachers

June 7, 2021

High School teachers are perhaps the most important people on earth. They are at school all week from morning until late in the afternoon and some of them stay into the evening. They work for the kids and by virtue of their day-to-day resolve, kids grow from adolescents to adults on their watch. Good teachers are the ones I have had the fortune to partner with at the high schools where Difference Makers is delivered. The first teacher I got to know is Jen from Susan E. Wagner. She has been with me every year for five years and serves as my eyes and ears. I remember our very first certificate ceremony in 2016 when we asked her to speak and she got all choked up. It was endearing but also revealing…the work we were doing together was transformational…it is emotional to make changes and Jen is invested in her students…she saw something right at the beginning that can wet an eye….students taking charge of making changes.

Jennifer Brogan of Susan E. Wagner, #falconpride

Steve is another huge part of Difference Makers and he is one of the hard workers I am talking about. He knows every student in his class and is like a hug-able uncle to them…I think they call him Saliski…you can see how much everyone cares for one another in his orbit. Steve is famous at Tottenville for many things…Difference Makers is just one…his main claim to fame is running the school-wide variety show every year, “Sing”.

Steve Saliski of Tottenville, #thspiratefam

Ron at Curtis is my other beloved teacher. This year he compared our Difference Makers students at the certificate ceremony to Greta Thunberg and Malala. I have to quote him because this is amazing: “I want you guys to be aware of the inspiration you have been to the community, to me, and to your parents. I see you as the giants of this game just in the same way as Malala or Greta Thunberg. You are at the beginning of your careers of truly making a difference in your communities and beyond. I heard one student say it is the beginning of a lifetime of service and that is the right thing to do.”

Ron Banks of Curtis, @CurtisR450