The teachers who shaped my life

Long before I understood public policy, I understood lesson plans. Growing up, our kitchen table often doubled as my mother's classroom. After teaching all day, she would come home and spend her evenings grading papers, preparing tomorrow's lessons, and thinking about how she could better serve her students. She taught in Hanover County and later at Marymount High School in Richmond, and I saw firsthand the commitment she brought to her profession every single day.

Years later, I married another teacher. My wife, Kathryn, spent more than 40 years teaching elementary school students in Westmoreland County.

For decades, I watched the same pattern unfold. Early mornings. Late evenings. Weekends spent preparing classrooms.

Countless hours devoted to helping children discover confidence in themselves and excitement for learning. Those experiences taught me something I don't believe we say often enough.

Teaching isn't simply a profession. It's a calling. Great teachers don't just teach reading, writing, mathematics, science or history. They teach perseverance. Curiosity. Confidence. Kindness. Responsibility. They help children discover talents they didn't know they possessed. They encourage students who doubt themselves. Sometimes they become the first adult outside a family who truly believes in a young person's potential.

The impact of a great teacher often isn't measured in weeks or months. It's measured in decades.

I still remember teachers who challenged me, encouraged me, and expected more of me than I expected of myself.

I suspect most of us do. Their influence stays with us long after we've forgotten the quizzes or homework assignments they gave us.

Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to work alongside remarkable professionals in many different fields — scientists, military leaders, healthcare workers, farmers, watermen, engineers and small business owners.

Every one of them can probably point to a teacher who helped shape the person they are today. That speaks to the extraordinary influence educators have on our communities.

When we think about education, it's easy to focus on buildings, budgets, curriculum or graduation rates. Those things certainly matter. But education has always been, first and foremost, about people. It is about the teacher who stays after school to help a struggling student — the educator who spends personal time preparing lessons that inspire curiosity.

The mentor who encourages a young person to pursue a career they never imagined was possible. Those moments rarely make headlines. Yet they shape lives every single day.

As the son and husband of a teacher, I've had the privilege of witnessing those quiet acts of dedication for most of my life. They've given me a deep appreciation not only for the work teachers do, but for the tremendous responsibility they carry.

Every school year begins with a new group of students. A new opportunity. A new chance to help shape the future.

That's a remarkable responsibility. And it's one of our educators who willingly accepts with extraordinary dedication.

Looking back, I realized my understanding of public service began long before I entered government. It began around our kitchen table, watching lesson plans spread across the room and seeing two educators devote their lives to helping the next generation succeed.

As a new school year begins across Virginia, I want to thank the teachers who will inspire the next generation, the principals and administrators who lead our schools, the counselors, nurses, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians and every member of the school community who helps create an environment where students can learn and grow.

Education is truly a team effort, and each individual plays an important role in preparing young people for the future. To all of you beginning another school year, thank you for your dedication, your patience and your commitment to serving Virginia's students. Kathryn and I wish you a wonderful, safe and successful school year.

Read the full article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch here.