To commemorate the 2023-2024 academic year coming to a conclusion, Student Council (StuCo) hosted Teacher Appreciation Week from May 6 to May 10 in order to celebrate and appreciate the faculty members at Westwood.
Students wrote individual letters for teachers the prior week, expressing their gratitude and hard work. The notes were later delivered to each faculty member by StuCo officers along with small gifts.
“I appreciate my teachers’ daily work and effort to create the best teaching environment for their students,” Haruna Kubo ‘26 said. “I hope they get good insight and gain confidence in teaching through student appreciation. [When writing the letters,] I thought about our daily conversations and quality time I enjoyed, which brought me joy to go to class every day.”
Through writing letters, students reflected on their experiences throughout the school year. These letters provided faculty members with words of encouragement and gratitude from their students, contributing to a positive conclusion for the academic year.
“It is always touching to hear from students how your class made them feel, whether in a letter, as a passing comment, or even through an email long after the student has graduated,” English Teacher Anita Carrillo said. “For this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week, one line that stood out to me from a student’s letter was that my class was ‘that one class [she] would wait for.’ That sentiment made my day, especially since her class is at the end of the day, too, and I know how hard it can be to power through class after class.”
Along with appreciation letters, the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) hosted a teacher breakfast at the library patio on Wednesday, May 8. PTSA members organized the breakfast to bring love and support to the faculty members.
“I feel honored beyond measure to be recognized by my students this week. They are already amazing, so it’s doubly sweet with their kind words, gestures, and tokens of appreciation, especially because it’s not something I would expect in the first place from a profession I am so passionate about and love,” Ms. Carrillo said. “My students make my day every day, so this week has been the extra icing on the cake.”
