With the rise of social media, influencers have played a vital role in our daily lives. From relying on their product recommendations and testimonies to mirroring their views and opinions, they have made a great impact on the decisions that we make, may it be a trivial or a significant one. However, we tend to not realize that we have been looking up to influencers all along, even before the term “influencer” became a trend on the internet. 

The influence of teachers starts as early as our first step in kindergarten. We cluelessly gaze at a smiling stranger who welcomed us with open arms. Little did we know how this stranger would soon change our lives. Through the years, this stranger was given a recognizable face, and a name— teacher. This teacher introduced us to a whole new world— a home away from home. A home that became the foundation of what we know today, as we learn from the teacher who slowly became a confidant, a mentor, and an idol we look up to. A confidant who’s always there to listen to our petty rants about our baon for snacks. A mentor who never got tired of guiding our shaky hands as we write our name, color and draw with our crayons. An idol who we always seek the approval of, in every single thing we do. 

The meaning of a teacher was quite blurry for us at first. Some of us even thought it was an actual name of a person. As we grew up and met more people, we realized what it truly meant. A teacher isn’t just a person of authority inside a classroom. They do make a difference in our lives. Every teacher we encounter prepares us for something bigger than ourselves, they equip us with the right skills and knowledge we need to take on the next step in life. They ignite the change within us and push us beyond the threshold of our comfort zone. Now that we’ve aged, it has become crystal clear to us the key role that teachers fulfill in the world today. They are the pillars of the society, the believers of dreamers, and the hope of every child. 

However, all the faces that we see at school would just come and go. For us, our teachers are among those who have molded us into the persons we are today, and for them, we are just also among their many students. As we step out of school and leave to face the battles of the real world, all of these would just seem as a passing moment. Nevertheless, the life lessons and values, laughing moments, and meaningful experiences we shared with our mentors will remain etched in our hearts and minds. 

In line with the World Teachers’ Day celebration, the ASHS commemorates Duffy-Delaney Day (D3) as an appreciation for all the values and knowledge that our mentors have imparted to us. Let us take this opportunity to recollect our memories, be grateful to our teachers, and reach out to them since all our triumphs in life are deeply rooted in what they instilled to us. Without us realizing, our teachers, who are also our role models, friends, and parents, have immensely influenced us even in the littlest things that we do.

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Sophia Orlanes and Danielle Roberto