ASEZ STAR USA NY Bronx Branch
Every year in the United States, Teacher Appreciation Day is celebrated on the first Tuesday of May, and Teacher Appreciation Week runs from Monday to Friday of the same week. It is a time to express gratitude to teachers for their dedication and hard work.
On May 4, before this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week started, the members of ASEZ STAR (World Mission Society Church of God Youth Student Volunteer Group) from the Bronx Branch in New York invited their teachers to a special banquet they had prepared.
A week before the banquet, they visited their teachers to give them their handmade snack packs and handwritten invitations. They also expressed their heartfelt gratitude to their teachers for always dedicating themselves to their students, even if no one would recognize them. They felt great when they saw how happy their teachers were to receive heartfelt messages from their students.
The banquet started with a heartwarming atmosphere, being attended by 11 teachers, 1 school counselor, and 2 education professionals. A choir performance prepared by the students livened up the atmosphere, and a gratitude video they had made for their teachers deeply touched both the teachers and the students.
It was followed by a presentation highlighting the childhood stories of great people and their teachers who influenced them. The presentation shed light on how teachers’ love and care would shape the future of their students, through the examples of some people like Anne Sullivan who brought light and hope to Helen Keller, and Mrs. Bertha Flowers who warmly embraced the pain of Maya Angelou who would later become a civil rights activist. With deep respect for their teachers, the students gave a presentation with deep respect for their teachers who were guiding and supporting them so that they could pave the way for their future.
The teachers were moved to tears as they listened to the presentation. A high school teacher said, “I was deeply touched by the sincerity of the students. Through today’s event, I felt understood as a teacher, as an individual person.” He added, “I’m truly grateful to the ASEZ STAR students and the World Mission Society Church of God for organizing this event. It’s truly amazing.”
A school counselor, who was present at the event, said, “I thought I should become a better counselor when I saw the confident and kind students from ASEZ STAR taking the lead in efforts to change the future. Through this event, I felt that our efforts would never go in vain.”
As the ASEZ STAR members showed their gratitude and respect for their teachers, their hearts were also filled with joy and happiness. They affirmed their determination to practice love, respect and care, according to God’s teaching: “Be the salt and light of the world.”