Teachers are special people, there’s no doubt about that.
In a video video posted on YouTube, teachers at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Missouri are seen telling students that they are “important, inspiring, appreciated,” and “the reason they come to work everyday.”
You may want to grab some tissues.
According to Good Morning America, the ‘Oak Park Positivity Project’ was created by Jamie McSparin, a teacher in charge of the school’s academy program for at-risk sophomore and juniors. She challenged teachers at the school to let individual students at the school know how important and special they are.
The project was inspired by a project by the students last year. “Last spring one of the teachers had students write gratitude letters to their teachers, so I figured, why can’t we flip that around?” McSparin explained in her GMA interview, “Because we really do, but a lot of times they don’t know that.”
Teachers share kind words about the students, sometimes struggling to do so as they hold back tears.
Students are obviously a bit surprised by what they are hearing, to say the least. Smiles, tears, and thank you’s follow. You can almost see the students feeling a bit more confident and standing a bit taller, knowing someone is on their side.
One student says, “I feel special,” to which the teacher responds, “You should. You are special.”
McSparin hopes that by sharing this video that she inspires other schools, teachers, students, to spread positivity. “Smile at people and tell them they’re doing a good job.”
In a time when our country seems more divided than ever, this is such an important reminder to be kind to each other, and not be afraid to show appreciation for each other.
Please remember to tell someone how you feel about them today, and most importantly that words matter.