Tori: Teacher Appreciation and A Night at the Opera

For three years now, our Stake has done a "Teachers Appreciation Night". All of the Senior High School Students are asked to choose a teacher that has been either a favorite ( for a good reason) or has had a special impact on your life.
Then these teachers are invited to attend. They had it all nicely decorated and had plenty of yummy looking deserts.
The students each took turns bringing the teacher of their choice (if the teacher was able to attend, about 4 weren't able to) to the podium with them. They were given a framed certificate of appreciation and then the student explained why this teacher is special to them.
Maybe it was just me, but I found it interesting that the most touching and more heart felt tributes were delivered by a student who attends a small charter school and Tori, who has attended a private school. Don't get me wrong, the others were nice and you could tell that the teachers were touched, but there was a difference.
Tori's tribute was (and anyone who knows Tori will have already guessed) to Bro. DeGraff from Liahona Prep. Academy.
Tori doesn't want me to include, in this blog, what she said because it is, "too personal".
I would just add that I am most grateful for the wonderful teachers that my children have had in their lives. The ones that have really made the subjects come alive and MEAN something, stand out.
Tori was the beginning and the end to the evening. After the opening prayer, she sang Maria Carey's "Hero". She did an amazing job and afterwards, nearly everyone there made it a point to thank her and comment.
Then our Bishop asked her if she would be willing to sing at a wedding the next day. The day after that, at church, people who had gone to the wedding told me how impressed they were with her singing. Proud parent stuff!
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The next evening, Tori was able to attend a local opera with a family in our ward. It was fun getting all "decked out". She had a great time
and was blessed to have been asked to go.
This picture doesn't do her justice. She looked even better than this.