(inspiring music)
- [Hailie] I have a gift for you.
Well not really a gift.
It's my Life Impact Diploma.
- Aw.
- So this is for you.
- Thank you.
- And then I have a letter I wrote you.
- Oh my gosh. - So I'm gonna call you Ms. D,
because I don't know how to say your name.
(Beth laughs) - So Ms. D, or as I know her
as Ms. Brackeen, was my fifth grade teacher.
You supported and provided me
with encouragement and direction.
You listened when I had a bad day
and was there to cheer me on through the good and fun times.
I had several difficult moments in elementary school
and you were understanding
and always had time to listen and help me.
You had high expectations, which pushed me
to achieve more than I thought I could.
I had been dedicated to sports and academics
and truly feel your high expectations
helped me challenge myself to take on
both middle school and high school.
You believed in me and my peers
and always made me feel like I could do anything.
(exhales) Okay.
You were always smiling and positive, which encouraged me
to be positive about my days and my future.
You helped many of us through challenges
such as the start of puberty,
friendship changes, and decision-making.
Your guidance in fifth grade helped me
be successful over the next seven years
as the set of the stage for what was to come.
I would like to thank you, Ms. D,
for all the support and teaching guidance
and encouragement over the past eight years.
Thank you for all you taught me.
I plan to attend Butler Community College
and pursue a teaching degree.
- Oh my God. (Hailie laughs)
Oh my God.
(muffled speech)
You literally have no idea how much that means.
- Good.
- Oh my gosh.
- I hope it means a lot. (laughs)
(muffled speech)
- What are you doing here?
- (laughs) So we are doing this Life Impact Diploma
and I chose you because you're such a great teacher.
- Oh you're gonna make me cry. (both laugh)
Thank you. - Yeah, so here's that.
And I wrote you a letter. - Oh, okay.
- Do you want me to read it to you?
- Okay. - Okay, you ready?
Okay.
Dear Mrs. Plank, through my six years
at Cottonwood Elementary, I was the little girl
who enjoyed coming to school.
You were one of the main reasons why I enjoyed it so much.
First you were my computer teacher.
When I heard that you were going
to be my fourth grade teacher,
I had no idea what to expect.
Little did I know, you were going
to make such a huge impact in my life.
Thank you for being such an inspiring role model.
You have one of the most genuine hearts
that I have ever known.
You were someone I knew I could come to no matter what.
This is why I hope to stay connected
and I hope my brother has the chance
to have the most influential teacher
that I got the opportunity to have.
There is no way a cord can stop me from coming to visit.
(both laugh)
I could go on and on about a plethora of reasons
why you're such an amazing human being,
but I'll leave off by saying that I'm thankful
that I got the chance to meet
a once-in-a-lifetime person like you.
- Oh, wow, I love you. (Trinity laughs)
(Sheri laughs) - I love you.
- Brought this for you.
- For what?
- It's the Life.
- Oh wow. - Mm-hmm.
Mm-kay.
- Wow, thank you. - Mm-hmm.
So then, so as you know-- - I don't know what this is.
I've never heard of it before. - Oh. (laughs)
So as you know I plan to major
in mechanical and aerospace engineering
at Oklahoma State. - Mm-hmm.
And then while I've always enjoyed working
on various projects and I thought I'd become an engineer,
it was the time in your class
that really confirmed this for me.
And then, honestly, your class
is the only reason I stayed in school at AHS.
In fact, it could've taken two hours this last semester
but I wanted to stay in your class
and that meant I had to be here all day. (laughs)
And then you're the one teacher at AHS
whose hobbies and outside interests align with mine.
I always looked forward to your class
and will miss hearing all of your crazy stories.
Have fun with my little brother.
He is enrolled in your class next year.
Thank you for such a great time in Autos.
- Wow, thank you Nate.
I appreciate that, man.
- How are you Leo?
- Oh, thank you.
- So proud of you, Leo.
- Oh, thank you.
- [Woman] I want you right there next to him.
- Oh, okay. - He's got something
special for you. - Oh my goodness.
- I'm giving you the Life Impact Diploma.
- (gasps) Oh my goodness.
- All right, and then I have a little something
for ya to read, I'll read it.
- You're gonna read it to me? - Yep, yep, yep. (laughs)
All right.
Mrs. Fetters, before your class
I always disliked reading and writing.
I've always thought of it as a waste of time.
I was thrilled when I found out
that you were my seventh grade language arts teacher.
You completely flipped my perception of language arts.
Your teaching techniques were different.
You didn't try to cram everything into our little brains.
With each lesson, there were different types of activities
you had to do to exercise all parts of our mind.
I want to personally thank you
for opening up a whole new world for me.
You not only taught me important language skills
but vital life skills that got me to where I am now.
- Leo.
(clapping) You have taught me
so many things, Leo.
I learned from you. (Leo laughs)