Maya Angelou remains one of the most celebrated poets in history. Among her most enduring observations is a simple truth about human connection:

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Despite her global acclaim, Maya Angelou repeatedly credited her teacher, Bertha Flowers, for transforming her life. Flowers introduced her to classic literature and gently insisted she read aloud, unlocking a confidence and passion that defined her life’s work.

Centuries earlier, Isaac Newton formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation. He is admittedly looked at as the master of these fields, and often quoted is his third law of motion:

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Yet Newton’s path to science almost ended before it began. His headmaster, Henry Stokes, recognized the boy’s sharp intellect and traveled to Newton’s home to convince his mother to let him leave farm work and return to school.

Where would our world be without teachers?

Behind every display of human achievement, there is a teacher who paid attention. A teacher who believed in a young person, exercised patience, and provided steady direction. As these stories show, teachers are rarely just instructors delivering lessons. In any given week, they serve as mentors, counselors, guardians, fathers, mothers—you name it.

Dear reader, if you look back along your life journey, you can almost certainly point to a teacher whose impact you still carry with you today. Perhaps it was a word of quiet encouragement when you wanted to give up, or a firm push when you needed direction.

As we held the Grand Finale of the Lapatutu Letter Writing Competition at Nakiwogo Primary School, we saw this guidance firsthand. When we recognized several teachers for their coordination efforts like Teacher Angeyo Grace, the Head of the English Department (pictured above receiving her certificate), the pupils erupted in celebration. Children at that age do not hide their feelings; they only show that kind of excitement when a teacher has earned their genuine love and trust.

For every teacher we recognized that day, right up to the Head Teacher, the cheers from the students were almost unanimous. One story that stood out was that of Teacher Akankwasa Gilbert. Beyond his work in the classroom, part of his daily responsibility is keeping every student at Nakiwogo Primary School safe—even staying constantly available on his phone to handle emergencies and protect the children.

We take this opportunity to recognize and thank the teachers at Nakiwogo Primary School, and all around the world, for the essential, quiet work you do every day to shape the future. The lessons you teach in a classroom follow young people into their homes, their careers, and the communities they go on to build. Long after a term ends, your words continue to guide the way.

Surely, where would our world be without teachers?

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