The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
In 2012, Tara was a recent graduate when she started working as a special education teacher in Georgia. This past fall, she sat down to write a letter to President Obama about the challenges she initially faced, and the rewarding profession she has grown into after three years in the classroom.
Every day, the White House receives thousands of letters and emails from across the country. Our job in the Office of Presidential Correspondence is to sort and read each message and make sure that President Obama hears directly from Americans about what matters to them.
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we’re taking time to thank teachers across our nation for serving as role models and dedicating their lives to educating our next generation. These hardworking professionals teach the skills that will fuel our continued growth and innovation, as well as the virtues and values — like kindness, compassion, creativity, and resilience — that will prepare their students for tomorrow’s challenges.
Each year, in classrooms across America, thousands of talented college graduates begin their careers as teachers. In 2012, Tara was a recent graduate when she started working as a special education teacher in Georgia. This past fall, she sat down to write a letter to President Obama about the challenges she initially faced, and the rewarding profession she has grown into after three years in the classroom:
When President Obama was in Georgia this past March, he had the opportunity to thank Tara in person for sharing her story and for her dedication to her students.
President Barack Obama greets letter writer Tara Lax at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Ga., March 10, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
This week, everyone is encouraged to share their story about a teacher who has impacted their life — President Obama told us about his fifth-grade teacher Ms. Hefty. You can share your story here, or by using the hashtag #ThankATeacher online.
Over the next few days, we will continue to acknowledge the great teachers who work each day to make a lasting impact on their students' lives. When a young person learns from an exceptional teacher, they are more likely to graduate, attend college, and succeed later in life. Teachers represent what’s best about America. They challenge us to dream big dreams and ensure that our nation improves each day by providing the next generation with the tools they need to thrive.
The voices of people across America inform the President and give him invaluable perspective on the progress we’ve made — as well as the work we’ve got left to do. If you want to write the President yourself, you can do that here.
