Letter to an old teacher I wrote.

Mrs Rector,

You may or may not remember me. My name is Annie Kittrell and I was a student in your EXCEL classes. I was writing to thank you. Without you as a teacher in my primary education, there would be no one there for me to properly foster my potential. Often, I think back to my younger years, before the pubescent mess we call "middle school". While nostalgia is one of the predominant emotions that I get from recalling such memories, I also have found that as I get older and more learned, my gratification for the opportunities I was given waxes.

I still vividly recall the classroom we were instructed in; the brown carpeting, the panels on the wall, the desks arranged in a large square. I remember learning about challenges, exploration and power, and one of the most prominent things that still sits in my brain is learning about law. From an early age, ever since it was introduced into the curriculum, I have been ever fascinated by the law and its practice, and while I may not become a lawyer, it still enthralls me. I remember playing Rush Hour and reading stories with holes, and laugh because now children divert their attention to iPods and TV shows.

I am left with a longing for the past, for what was once reality but now I can only dream of. I cannot bring back the days before iPods and computers and mediocre music. I cannot bring back the days when children wearing stripes with polka dots or purple on orange was socially acceptable because they are children. Times have changed and it has been a long time since I was in first, second, and third grade. I was always happy then, only the simplest of things upset me and the simplest of things would make me happy again. Now when I cry, it is for reasons deeper than not getting what I want or scraping my knee on the sidewalk. I can't fix these problems with a band-aid or an ice cream cone.

But I can smile back at the memories and here I am. I believe I have come rather far. My grades are high, making straight A's across the board (except for algebra. 89 in that class), and I'm thriving in my musical studies. My extracurricular activities include horseback riding and an avid hobby of writing, and I love what I do. I'll never be able to bring back the past, to live in the memories again, but what are memories? Are they things we have, or things we have lost? Regardless, the least I could do to comfort myself is thank those who set such a solid foundation for my education and life.

So this is my thanks to you. As a teacher you have given me the tools to gain wisdom and knowledge. You have inspired me to learn everything that I can, just for the simple joy of knowing things. Without people like you, the world would be nowhere near where it is today. I thank you so much for your dedication and for everything you have done to help the children of Watauga Elementary and beyond. Too many times teachers go by unnoticed, without thanks, and I cannot stand for one who does such amazing work to leave this world without any acknowledgement. This is my acknowledgement. Thank you, a million times thank you for everything you have done for me. Learning will always be the priority.

Sincerely,
Annie Kittrell