Teachers go above and beyond every day: grading papers through the weekend, using personal funds to decorate their classroom or set up a library corner, waiting on the curb outside school with a student whose parent is running late.
Many go further still, committing themselves to their work in powerful ways that have the potential to change students’ trajectories—during the school day or long after high school.
Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5 to 9) gives us the opportunity to shine a light on a few such examples. We hope you’re as inspired by them as we are.
Jessica Arrow: committed to outdoor learning—in all weather
The weather in Keene, N.H., can be rough. In January, temperatures rarely exceed 32 degrees Fahrenheit; spring can see long stretches of rain. But Jessica Arrow, a kindergarten teacher at Symonds Elementary there, knows the power of outdoor learning, thanks largely to the graduate-level coursework she pursued independently at Antioch University, New England to better understand and engage with her young students.
Arrow has since redesigned her curriculum entirely, going to great lengths to ensure her students can take advantage of their time outdoors as often as possible—including taking on a project that required her to reach far outside of her professional skillset.
Arrow wrote a grant proposal in pursuit of “splashy suits”: warm, waterproof gear that would allow kindergartners at Symonds Elementary to stay comfortable and dry as they engaged in outdoor pursuits. The mother of young children who brings a high-energy style to her all-day kindergarten class said she carved out time to complete the grant application in her “free” time.
It paid off. Advocates for Healthy Youth (now Healthy Monadnock Alliance) awarded Arrow $1,375. Then, Arrow partnered with a parent from her class who identified a consignment shop in Vermont that expedited the purchase of all-weather gear at bulk cost. She estimates that the all-weather gear allows her students to be outdoors 20 to 30 days more per school year than before the purchases.
“I’ve been supported by parents in many ways,” said Arrow, deflecting attention away from her ambitious balancing act. “I want to emphasize the value of working closely with families and caregivers to encourage and support outdoor learning.”
Arrow also shares her expertise on outdoor learning with other teachers at summer workshops for the University of New Hampshire’s Early Childhood Initiative.
“Jessica has played an instrumental role in this entire district, helping educators to understand what play-based learning is, to bring it to life, and to keep it moving forward,” said Susan Grover, principal at Symonds Elementary.
Christopher Jackson: preparing his students for a sound financial future
When graduates of DaVinci Communications, a public charter high school in El Segundo, Calif., come back to visit, they frequently mention the impact that their former teacher Christopher Jackson has had—particularly on their financial lives.
“They say that what Mr. Jackson taught them about managing money has really helped them make informed decisions for a secure financial future,” said Erin D’Souza, principal at Da Vinci Communications.
That’s Jackson’s intention. But it didn’t start out that way when he began teaching at DaVinci as an English teacher.
Teaching English, Jackson’s role included helping seniors with the personal essays required as part of the college application process. “While they were going through the process, I kept seeing financial decisions coming up, and no one was teaching them how to make them,” he said.
Jackson started offering occasional seminars on financial literacy to the entire high school student body. At the same time, he began to educate himself on the subject matter, taking free courses offered by nonprofit NextGen Personal Finance on topics including investing, credit, paying for college, taxes, the psychology of money, banking, and budgeting.
“I wanted to give my students more than just textbook knowledge. I wanted to give them tools they could use,” Jackson said.
The occasional seminars turned into an elective course in financial literacy. Now, all seniors are required to take it. He didn’t stop there.
“I saw that there was another need, and so I created workshops specifically for the parents,” Jackson said.
He began to lead free workshops for parents on how to navigate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, and interpret and respond to financial packages from colleges and universities once their children are accepted at the schools.
“This is the realest class I have ever taught,” Jackson said. “I inform my students on the first day of class that the information they will learn, if applied, can affect not just them, but also their children’s children.”
Angie Hewes: a business teacher who supports lessons well beyond the classroom
Angie Hewes is winding down her 23rd year as a business education teacher at Smyrna High School, a large public school in central Delaware whose strong tradition of career and technical education (CTE) is due in large part to committed teachers like Hewes.
She brought to Smyrna the Academy of Finance, a three-course CTE program that introduces students to topics including banking and credit, financial planning, accounting, and insurance. But Hewes sees classroom instruction in these subject areas as just the beginning of students’ education on finance.
Additionally, Hewes has carved out experiential opportunities that build on finance-related skills and encouraged students to participate in them. She pushed for the school to apply for an Innovation Grant from the state that would allow for the purchase of a mobile school store that can be rolled to different parts of campus so that students could gain experience as sales and marketing interns, even if they lack transportation to access an internship in the local community.
She also coaches students who pursue public speaking opportunities, such as state and national competitions hosted by Business Professionals of America.
Ashton Hartnett, a senior who said he was bullied and had barely any friends in middle school, has taken advantage of both opportunities and excelled in each—successes he attributes in part to Hewes’ support. Ashton earned a first-place award in the statewide BPA competition for Presentation Management. He headed to BPA’s National Leadership Conference in Orlando on May 6.
“I still have my shy moments and I can fumble in some speaking opportunities, but where my confidence is at now is leagues better than years prior,” said 17-year-old Ashton, who credits Hewes’ support for his success. “With assistance from Ms. Hewes, I can confidently say that I’ve revamped my self image.”
Hewes downplays her role in her students’ growth.
“I am more or less the students’ cheerleader, proofreader and, more importantly, their supporter,” Hewes said. “And I always tell them, no matter what happens, win or lose, I’m extremely proud of them for stepping out of their comfort zone.”
Seyyed Latif Sharifi: exposing students with special needs to the fun and the practical
Seyyed Latif Sharifi said he knew he had found his “teaching home” the first time he walked through the doors of Hartvigsen School, a public school in Salt Lake City that serves students ages 18 to 22 who have severe physical and intellectual disabilities.
“A student walked right up to me and gave me a big hug. It was a simple gesture, with profound implications. Although she was nonverbal, she spoke a language that I could understand. In that moment, I knew that Hartvigsen, and the students who attend, would be my home,” Sharifi said. “I’m often humbled by my students’ capacity for kindness. I see my students as some of my greatest teachers.”
The feeling, it seems, is mutual. Sharifi has been recognized multiple times for his excellence as an educator, most recently as the 2024 Granite School District Teacher of the Year and, on May 5, as the recipient of the 2025 Discovery Education Award, which honors educators who “accelerate achievement among students by inspiring curiosity and connecting learning to the world beyond the classroom.”
Felicia Wood, Hartvigsen School’s principal, praises Sharifi for going “above and beyond” his assigned duties—not just for his students, but for other staff members as well.
“He actively encourages paraprofessionals to pursue higher education and professional growth, treating his classroom staff like family and advocating for their success,” she said.
Sharifi has taken the initiative to assist paraprofessionals with the details of this process, Wood said. This includes helping them complete college applications, fill out financial aid forms, and update their resumes—often on his own time.
But Sharifi is most interested in advocating for his students’ success, and has found some novel and practical ways to do so.
A chance encounter with his cousin’s virtual reality headset gave him the idea to share the experience with his students.
“There was a time where I felt a bit of guilt sharing what I had done over the weekend or the night before, knowing that my students simply may not have access to the activities I enjoy,” he said. “Then it dawned on me: Virtual reality could be the link I’d need for my students to enjoy experiences that some have never participated in.”
Through virtual reality, Sharifi has exposed his students to experiences such as mountain biking, concerts, and international travel. It hasn’t been without challenges; exposure to virtual reality can be jarring for students with sensitivities to external stimuli, he explained.
It’s not all fun and games in Sharifi’s class. He invented “Sharifi’s Bistro” as an opportunity for his students to serve the school’s students and staff cookies, hot chocolate, and coffee on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The students shop, help make the food, and work the cash register.
“They do it with smiles on their faces,” Sharifi said. “The skills they learn have the potential to follow them into the workforce if that’s where they decide to venture.”