My English teacher, Mr. Novick, was a younger, more progressive individual and a bit of a rebel. He snuck into the hallway and returned with a TV on a rolling cart that he hooked up to the cable line. Keeping his voice low, we discussed what was happening. He stated that there are moments in life that shift the dynamic of the world, and he feared this was one, but that we were near adults and should have the opportunity to bear witness if we so chose.

While I am sure the events of that day are marked in the minds of all who lived through the experience for many reasons, my teacher's lesson about treating students like people is what stuck with me most. His trust in our ability to think critically is something I hope to mirror. His actions allowed a bunch of teens to grow exponentially despite the monumental difficulty of the situation that prompted his actions.

Several high school teachers helped me along my way. One failed algebra test, I was given a chance to retake for a better grade. I used the opportunity to really learn what I missed and did much better.

At least a couple other times I was rewarded for hard work - high enough grades throughout the year allowed exemptions from final exams.

This taught me about incentives to recognize and promote hard work.

Becoming a mother, getting married and then divorced, developing an adult relationship with my children, realizing that people come into and out of our lives and that that's okay, and embracing myself without worrying about judgement by others.

One thing my Dad told me when I was a teenager was, "Will it matter 5 years from now?" That can be applied not only to myself, but also to my family, friends, colleagues and students. It helps broaden one's perspective immediately, and allows for making decisions quickly and usually in the best interest of those involved.