October 5 is World Teachers’ Day. On this annual observance, we proudly celebrate and thank teachers for their dedication, creativity and compassion. 

Teachers are more than instructors, they are mentors, advocates and role models who shape the future by empowering young minds. Whether guiding students through challenging math problems, fostering a love of literacy or supporting social-emotional growth, teachers play an important role in helping students reach beyond previous boundaries in knowledge and experience. 

Big and small, their support can have life-long impacts on students and their futures. 

Over the summer, VSB awarded two students with the Teacher Recognition Scholarship. It is given to students who contribute positively to their school communities and maintain a good academic record. Scholarship recipients each receive $2,500 towards post-secondary. 

This past year’s recipients both attributed part of their success to the support and dedication of their teachers. 

“Although I have always learned and valued my Indigenous ancestry, growing up in Mexico while attending a primarily white private school made it difficult for me to embrace my identity in public fully,” said John Oliver Secondary student, Mya Alejandra Garrido Diaz. “When I moved to Canada, my desire to fit in led me to introduce myself as just Mexican and only share my Mayan ancestry with people I truly trusted; this changed for the better when I met Ms. Ellen Nielsen.” 

Mya explained that Ms. Nielsen created a safe space for everyone to feel accepted and celebrated. This made her comfortable embracing her authentic self with pride. Mya also valued Ms. Nielsen’s support as she solidified her plans to continue her learning in the field of media studies at the University of British Columbia. 

For Vancouver Alternative Secondary School student Salem Guno-Lazarre, it was a teacher that also provided support for personal and academic growth. 

“This was my first year returning to school, and now I'm graduating with my Adult Dogwood,” said Salem. “I actually did not think I would make it this far, and it's still hard to believe how quickly the time has flown by. Looking back, I see how much l've grown, not just academically, but personally. One of the most important people in that journey has been my teacher Mr. Dustin Thorkelsson.”  

Salem recalls how Mr. Thorkelsson carefully nurtured self-confidence in his students. Emboldened by this support, Salem now looks ahead to studying makeup artistry at Blanche MacDonald.  

“My passion is making others feel beautiful and confident, because I know what it feels like to lose confidence and then find it again. I want to give that same gift to others.” Salem continued.  

On World Teachers’ Day, we invite everyone to recognize and thank the teachers who have helped shaped the trajectory of their lives. 

To every teacher at VSB, your passion, expertise and care make our district stronger. Thank you for everything you do, today and every day!