THANKS, TEACHERS

Teachers from all over Southeast Missouri are gathering in Cape Girardeau for their 120th annual meeting. A warm welcome to all of them, plus a few words of thanks.

Thanks for sticking with your profession as education in general takes such a bashing.

Thanks for caring about the young lives that have been placed in your care for the better part of each school day.

Thanks for striving to keep up with everything new so you can share it with your students.

Thanks for going the extra mile to challenge students to perform at the full ability.

Thanks for all the extra work you do -- grading papers, visiting with parents, talking to students, advising clubs and projects -- that make your days so long.

Thanks for being a teacher, "one whose occupation is to instruct." May the learning you impart make tomorrow's world a better place.