Editor’s Note: In honor of teacher appreciation week, the NWN editors have chosen a teacher to write about. These teachers have made an impact on our lives, and we would like to show them our appreciation. Look for more articles throughout the week.

Many students in the school don’t know that it’s teacher appreciation week. Our peers are supportive and there for us, but our teachers make an even bigger impact in our lives than we notice. My life, from the first day I came to Niles West to today, one month away from graduation, has been peculiar to say the least, but one teacher has been there for me from the first day I came to West.

Elizabeth Ramseyer was first my physics teacher (my junior year). Her amazing personality and ability to teach a difficult subject like science made me like her right away. It wasn’t until later in the year that we bonded. She, and Mr. DeCoster, were a part of a NASA teacher/student research group. She offered the opportunity of a lifetime to all of her students, and I decided that I wanted to be a part of this experience. We spent countless hours working on this project, even days during the summer, getting every detail down to the “T.”

When we went to visit our scientist sponsor in California, we were able to share experiences outside the school walls and had the same opinions when it came down to it. It was then, when I decided that I wanted to take Astronomy my senior year. I have learned more in this class than I could have possibly imagined. A number of my colleagues and I continued our research throughout senior year until our presentation in Seattle.

All of these events combined have created such a close bond between Mrs. Ramseyer and me. Every day we give each other updates on how that day went; I often find myself venting to her about every detail of my life. I know that I can trust her with my burdens, and I know that she will be there for me always. Not only have I been her student for the past two years, but I am also her lab assistant. I go through the struggles of setting up labs, grading papers, and finding ways to make a lesson easier for her students to understand; and I know that it is truly a challenge to be able to do all that and more.

If you have her for a teacher or have ever had her for a teacher, I think she should get the biggest kudos because what she does is tough and she does it every single day. I only help her with maybe a fifth of the work and I get stressed. Mrs. Ramseyer is a star, and deserves the recognition to the highest degree. She devotes a great deal of time and energy to her students and sometimes we may take that for granted.

If you have class with her or you see her in the hallway, let her know that she is doing a great job, tell her you appreciate what she has done, share a moment that you remember of her. Don’t only do this for Mrs. Ramseyer, but if there is a teacher that has impacted you in any way, make sure they know what they mean to you. Give them a hug, a card, even a high five. It’s important that we express our gratitude to our teachers. I know without Mrs. Ramseyer I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Whether you realize this or not, our teachers make a huge difference in our lives.