Two separate and very different recent activities involving educators stirred memories of the many teachers who have made a lasting impact on my life. The Washington Teachers Union asked me to moderate a back-to-school panel discussion with educators and local officials. When I was in St. Louis on other business, my friend Dr. Donald M. Suggs, publisher of the St. Louis American newspaper, invited me to be his guest at his paper’s annual salute to educators.

At the Teachers Union forum, I heard how upset teachers were that a contracted annual pay raise is now going by the wayside because of a budget crunch at City Hall. I heard the pain of one former “Teacher of the Year,” with a quarter century of experience, speak of having her job eliminated, being re-hired in another capacity, and then losing all of her seniority. And I heard the teachers recall how they had to dig into their wallets and purses to provide supplies that the school system said it was too strapped to purchase. Unfortunately, as the teachers were sharing their experiences, the auditorium was filled with only teachers and administrators. Other segments of the community also needed to be there.

The St. Louis American event, by contrast, was a community recognition of outstanding local educators. Videotaped interviews with the winners were filled with stories of seeing “that light in their eyes go on” when a student suddenly grasps a concept.

I don’t know what my teachers saw in my eyes or in me, for that matter. But they certainly were supportive. As I said to the union members, teachers should be among the highest-paid professionals in nation. Regardless of what field we decided to pursue, it was the teachers, as well as our parents, who put us on the right path.

Some people are surprised to know that I still keep in touch with my first grade teacher, Mrs. Johnnie Anderson Giglio, who now lives in Auburn Hills, Mich. I freely admit that I had a crush on Miss Anderson, a beautiful teacher who was just beginning her career. I don’t know if that had anything to do with my eagerness to learn my alphabets or to read, but I am sure it didn’t hamper those efforts. Beyond being impressed with Miss Anderson’s appearance, I was impressed with her caring attitude, her belief that every kid could learn and that it didn’t matter whether you were poor or poorer — no one in my neighborhood was affluent — there were no limits on what you could achieve.

In high school, my homeroom teacher and guidance counselor, Mrs. Hazel Browder Hackett, took a special interest in me. It wasn’t so much what she told me in class as it was the discussions we had outside of the classroom, the talks about life in general and not letting segregation prevent me from realizing my dreams. Mom Hackett was childless yet all of us at Druid High School were her children. We still are. In addition to calling her from time to time, I go by to see her whenever I am home in Tuscaloosa, Ala. She doesn’t like for me to brag on her, but I’ll never forget — or let her forget — that she gave me the $20 I needed to apply to college. And I am sure I wasn’t the only student she helped while earning one of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation.

Mrs. Malinda Prude forced me to have an appreciation for literature. I loved writing, but didn’t care that much for literature. Mrs. Prude told me that regardless of what I wanted to become in life, an educated person needed to be familiar with the major literary works of our time. That was her nice way of saying to me that’s what we would be studying and that I would come to appreciate it later. And like most teachers, she was correct. There were so many other teachers and coaches who influenced me as well. I can’t imagine being able to write this column if it had not been for the time and effort they invested in me.

I suggested to the teachers in Washington that any future discussion of education include people in the community because everyone has a direct stake in our schools. Additionally, we need more programs like the one sponsored by the St. Louis American to publicly express our gratitude for the exceptional work our educators do day in and day out. Let’s all give them a big, red, shiny apple. Better yet, pick up the telephone or drop them a line and tell them thanks.