Coming down to the home-stretch of the school year means getting buried in the motions of tests and assignments, leaving little time to just breathe and appreciate the people around you. Staff Appreciation Week is meant to be that little breath, those five reserved days where we as students get to thank the people that are taken for granted: the amazing faculty that work at South.

We spend the entirety of the year complaining about teachers. Teachers assign homework, give tests, grade papers, mark tardies and anything in their power to convince us that they’re all out to get us. It’s so easy to antagonize teachers for doing their job. It’s so easy to forget that teachers aren’t trying to make our lives miserable by assigning five chapters in one night, but are instead trying to grow our minds, so that they may flower into something more knowledgeable.

It’s arguable that teachers have the most important jobs in the entire world. It is because of a teacher that you somewhere in the past learned how to form symbols into letters and letters and into words and words into sentences. It is because of a teacher that we are able to write, discuss and publish this editorial, and it is because of a teacher that you are able to read this editorial. The education of a student is built foundationally upon the tireless work and patience of a teacher, and all of the faculty that works to keep a school running.

In a modern age where technology is changing at a rapid pace, education has become more important than ever. Our understanding of STEM-related subjects are critical in continuing this advancement, and our ability to think critically through language and social studies is essential in making sure we’re making the right decisions as a society. It is only through education that we as a society will be able to make more informed decisions. Therefore, education should be a priority, not a second thought in our country. The United States Department of Education has already been cut 13.5 percent this year, according to the 2018 Presidential Budget Plan. As we continue to cut spending on education, we’re only lessening our potential to succeed in the future.

Though our national decisions on education may not show our appreciation for teachers, that doesn’t mean we as South students can’t. We in Tower encourage this week to reach out to a teacher or other faculty member and express your appreciation for all the hard work they do. From the hall monitors to the custodial staff to the administration team, every faculty member works to ensure that South runs smoothly, so that every student has the opportunity to make the most out of their education.

South is blessed with amazing faculty. We thank the staff not only for their work during school, but for their work before and after school, whether it’s counseling, coaching, directing a play, or advising one of the countless clubs we have at South.

We are truly lucky we live in a school system that is genuinely invested in our collective and individual success. While South is full of well-educated professionals, it’s a good feeling to know that at the end of the day, they are also emotionally supportive human beings. The staff at South shows that in the best of times and in South’s darkest days the support that South staff gives are proof that if you reach out, you are never truly alone.

This week, we in Tower extend our personal gratitude toward South’s staff. Here is your proverbial apple-on-the-desk, our token of appreciation for continuing the high quality of education, of which we are all so lucky to receive every day.