Back-to-school is such a fun time of year in part due to the anticipation for the new year.  Some of my favorite parts of this tradition were the moments leading up to the first day:  buying new clothes and school supplies, finding your class list, and meeting the teacher. Over the years, I have loved getting to know my children’s teachers and learning their teaching styles.

My kids have hit the jackpot with most of their teachers.  When my youngest son, who just recently graduated Liberty High School, went back to American Elementary to take his picture with fellow seniors who attended this school, he saw his fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Rogers waiting to reconnect with them with a fun surprise. She kept her students’ handprints from their fourth-grade year to give to them as seniors.  These seniors thoroughly enjoyed finding their little handprints they had colored and cut out and comparing them to their now grown-up hands.  My son’s hand had more than doubled in size.  I am thankful for teachers like her that care that much about their students.

Special thanks to one local teacher, Odessa “Dess” Perkins, who is changing many lives using her own experiences to help others.  In this month’s article, “Hello, Happy Resilient Mama: Dess Perkins Overcomes Life Circumstances, Changes Others Lives Affected by Human Trafficking,” on page 14, Callie Collins writes about Dess’s resilience and perseverance to create a beautiful life. With her bachelor’s and master’s degrees under her belt, she just finished her first year as a teacher and counselor at Ridgeview.

Teaching doesn’t only happen in the classroom; teachers are everywhere from the field to the stage to the swimming pool. In the article, “Swimming, Safety and Lifelong Skills: How Former Olympic Swimmer Gabe Woodward is Making a Lasting Impact on Local Youth,” by Callie Collins, on page 22, she writes about how the owner of Bakersfield Swim Academy is teaching a new generation of swimmers to love the sport and be safe.  Woodward, an Olympic athlete, won the Bronze medal at the 2004 Athens swim competition 4x100-meter freestyle relay, continues his legacy with his passion for swimming, his family, and commitment to the community.

As the classrooms start to fill up again, kids want to make friends in their class.  KCFM wanted to give you tools to help your kids succeed in this area.  In the article, “Five Ways to Help Kids of Any Age Make Friends,” written by Callie Collins on page 24, she offers tips like role playing, making connections with parents, and building confidence.

In this month’s Humor at Home, Julie Willis’s article, “How My Kids Complete Me: And Also My Husband is Pretty OK to Have Around, Too,” on page 30, details the moment that she realized she wanted to be a mom, even before she was married. Now, years later, she feels complete.

As this time of year has routines, carpools, and practice schedules, take a minute to thank your children’s teachers for all they do.  There are so many behind-the-scenes moments where these men and women are planning and thinking about your children.  I mean how much forethought and planning did Mrs. Rogers coordinate to remember to keep those tiny little handprints safe for eight years? She gave so many of the seniors and their parents a fun trip down memory lane!

Happy First Day of School!