It could have been yesterday -- or it could have been decades ago.

But the impact a teacher makes can last a long time.

"Ask any successful person and they can almost always name one or two teachers who changed the course of their lives," said Alan Lesgold, education dean at the University of Pittsburgh.

We asked readers of our Web site, www.post-gazette.com, to answer this question:

Has a teacher ever changed your life?

The answers include stories of teachers, from elementary school to higher education, who were understanding, kind, difficult -- or perhaps some of each.

Some writers didn't even mention the subject taught at first. Some of the memories instead focused on how a teacher treated them as a person, lit the fire for learning or introduced them to new ideas.

Here are our readers' stories, edited for clarity and brevity.

Robert Igoe, of Winchester, Va., wrote:

I began attending California University of Pennsylvania in the fall of 1986. My first semester I earned a 3.2 despite slacking off a bit in the last part of the semester. That high QPA was probably a bad thing because it gave me a little too much confidence that I could get high grades no matter what I did.

Well, the inevitable happened in the spring. You know how in college, you have those kids who like to goof off after class? Well, I did that. Then it became goofing off before class. Then during class. Eventually, it was goofing off instead of class. I did well in one class and OK in another. The rest of them I did lousy in, especially English Composition II. Not a good sign for a journalism major.

The rest of my professors seemed willing to cut me a break as a freshman and I ended up with a D in one course and a "withdrew failing" in another.

But professor Fred Lapisardi (now retired) wasn't sympathetic to me and told me with a few weeks to go in the semester that I had failed the course. No extra credit, nothing. I had already missed so many classes and botched so many assignments that there was no possible way I could pass.

That was the first (and only) time I ever failed a course. Every other time, I could do enough extra credit or somehow talk the teacher into letting me pass. Not this time. And I admit it, I was pretty bitter about it for a while until I was considering going back to school for a dual major.

Professor Lapisardi was in charge of the master's program for English and communications and recommended that I go for a master's degree. Suddenly, it was like in those cartoons where a character gets an idea and a little light bulb goes on over his head. I understood that the professor didn't flunk me out of spite; he did it because I deserved to fail. He was at least being honest enough to tell me that I needed to put forth better work efforts. And he was willing to take a chance on me again.

It seemed as though everything I had done to get my grades up and make my college years worth something could be traced back to that decision he made.

I agreed to try the master's program only if he would be my adviser. He agreed, and I tried for one year. I did a lot better in class this time. Unfortunately, my work and family commitments prevented me from finishing my master's, but that doesn't mean I didn't continue to learn from him.

Once I finally broke into journalism, I would often be on the Cal U campus to cover events. I'd sometimes run into Professor Lapisardi, and he'd tell me that he was following my career and he liked my work. And I'd think to myself that maybe the reason he liked it is because in no small part, that work was partially his.

Bonita Brewer Ashe of Dayton, Ohio, wrote:

I was a student of Mr. William Chessman (now retired) when I moved from East Hills to Wilkinsburg years ago. At that time, I was in third grade and was enrolled in Johnston Elementary. Mr. Chessman took me under his wing and molded me into a straight-A student.

I am now 40 years old with four children of my own. We live in Ohio now and I am fortunate to be able to have my children, ages 8 to 15, enrolled in an academically strong school system.

The reason for this letter is that I never fully had the chance to thank Mr. Chessman for all that he did for me. At the time that my family moved to Wilkinsburg there weren't very many black children in the district, and I felt very isolated.

If not for Mr. Chessman, I may have been one of the thousands who fell through the cracks. When my children were born, I made the decision to not work so that I could be available to them 24/7. Right now, I am in my second semester of college and I am majoring in psychology. I enrolled in college last year because of him. He told me to never give up.

All of my children know about Mr. Chessman and how he encouraged me, and I use him as a catalyst to encourage them as well.

Paul E. Gotshall, of Bordentown, N.J., wrote:

I put 20 years in the U.S. Navy. I was able to attend the best electronics/avionics schools they had available. The credits I earned from those classes along with several CLEP exams enabled me to get an associate of science degree. I am a retired chief petty officer.

I attribute this all to my parents who passed on a good work ethic, my teachers at the Southern Columbia School District (five time continuous state football champions) schools in Columbia County, Pa., and primarily Jim Lennox, an electronics instructor at the Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech High School. He was my teacher from 1970 through 1973.

Jim (I referred to him as Mr. Lennox until I was a graduate) taught our class to be responsible for our work. He also stressed that no matter what you end up doing in life, whether we went on to be electronics technicians or ditch diggers, be the best that you can be.

For three years, Jim (an Air Force veteran) didn't just teach us electronics, he also taught us how to be successful at life in general. A lot of what I read about great coaches like Joe Paterno reminds me of Mr. Lennox -- their student/athletes become good citizens.

Jim is now a retired teacher in Berwick, Columbia County, and I often think of him and other teachers I had and count my blessings. I currently work in quality control for a transformer manufacturing company in Bordentown, N.J. I get kudos for the technical reports I write and the attitude I have concerning the quality of our products. Thanks to my parents, teachers, and especially Jim, I am who I am today.

Kimberly Hastings, of Hampton, a teacher at Philip Murray Accelerated Learning Academy in Pittsburgh, wrote:

Mrs. Jane Robick is her name. She was the No. 1 reason that I went into the field of education. She was my seventh-grade literature teacher at St. Bonaventure School in Shaler in 1986-87.

Her passion for teaching was amazing and her love and compassion for her students was indescribable. She was so tough, but those are the ones we really remember, right? At least for me, that is the case!

She had a way of really making reading and writing fun and inviting. She was known back then for her enormously hard vocabulary tests and homework. I just dreaded it all. When it came to the SAT test a few years later, I was ready because of her strategies and techniques that she taught.

I am now in my ninth year working for Pittsburgh Public Schools. Most of my career has been in first grade. I tell stories to my students about hearing Mrs. Robick's high heel shoes coming down the hall and having FEAR! Real fear! You didn't slouch, give up on a test, forget to turn in homework, talk out or forget your manners.

You did, however, admire her long, beautiful, black hair, her red lipstick and her never-ending patience that she had for all of her students. She is the reason I went into teaching! I loved and admired her and wanted to be just like her. I dream that one day I can have such an impact on one of my students like she did for me!

Jamie Phillips, of Highland Park, wrote:

Do I have a teacher in mind who has changed my life?

When I consider this question, a teacher at the University of Colorado at Boulder comes to mind. Rick Martinez comes to mind not because of any defining moment in his classroom, but because during the semester in which I took his honor's course entitled "Literature and Medicine," my mind opened to an entirely new way of seeing the world.

It was a senior honor's course, and we had a heady reading list, reading authors such as William Carlos Williams, Richard Selzer, Phillip Dick, Robert Coles and more. Somewhere along the way, we were no longer reading books as much as we were entering a new paradigm of being, i.e., being in the body, being in the margins of society, being on the outside of society, being in the middle of society, being through the body, through illness and health.

Rick Martinez asked us to go to art museums to understand disease. He asked us to see films, read books and write about the experiences we ourselves had as we entered the world of the diseased and the healer, or the society which harbors them both -- and us.

I do not remember much about the actual class -- which I took 15 years ago. I do, however, remain in this new world of seeing.

John McCollister of Port Orange, Fla., wrote:

I had the meanest teacher in the world.

When I was a sophomore at Scott Township High School during the early '50s, my primary interest in life was baseball. Competing for attention were other diversions, including girls. Outranking any other goal in my life were two: 1) to see the Pittsburgh Pirates win a World Series and 2) to get a particular girl to smile at me.

Complicating my life of innocent bliss was the late Mrs. Pauline Boor (who later became Pauline Boor Glen) -- an English teacher -- who insisted that all of her students learn basic grammar and the value that comes from diagramming sentences.

Yuck! What a waste of time. Didn't she realize that other things were of far greater importance? As if she were oblivious to all this, she persisted in her personal quest to make life miserable for me and my classmates by inflicting us with a barrage of nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Surely, no victim of the Inquisition suffered such agony.

Following graduation from high school, I was able to breeze through required courses in English at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, because, unlike some of my fellow students, I had been armed with a solid knowledge of the subject. I went on to earn a doctorate at Michigan State University.

Today, those fundamentals continue to serve me. They enable me to communicate effectively with others; they have also provided me the necessary tools to pen articles for national magazines and to write 21 published books -- three of which have been about my Pittsburgh Pirates.

Today, I am convinced, more than ever, that none of this would have been possible had I not been blessed with the opportunity to have the meanest teacher in the world.

Nicole Anderson, of the North Side, junior at the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, wrote:

Have you ever had a teacher who completely changed your outlook on life and how you comprehend knowledge? I have. It all started in sixth grade at Incarnation Academy, North Side, when this slender woman walked into the classroom. She had a presence about her that I greatly admired. Her name is Sister Roberta Kardell. (She was principal of the school when it closed last year.)

She had a unique outlook on the world that I wished to learn more about. Sister did not see you as a student. She saw you as a friend. You could tell this when she taught. She respected the students' opinions and truly cared about us. She was a loving, caring individual who changed my life forever.

When Sister Roberta walked into the classroom the first day of sixth grade, I knew this was not going to be easy, but I was sure ready for the challenge. Some teachers are very overwhelming on the first day and do not care about your feelings, whereas Sister Roberta was the exact opposite. To get everyone in the class to participate, Sister created an activity called "A Socratic Seminar."

You would have to pick a side about a situation and display your argument to the class. I was a very shy student but Sister taught me that not every argument I present to the class has to be correct. She pushed me to talk during class and share my ideas. Now I am not afraid to share my thoughts to the class in fear that I will be wrong.

Sister Roberta truly has an amazing heart and I feel very special to have been her student. I am a dancer and for the talent shows at school, she was very supportive of what I do. Sister was actually very supportive of anything and everything her students participated in. She almost had a mother-like characteristic about her that every one of her students hold dear to their heart.

She brought my self-esteem up tremendously and I cannot thank her enough.

When I was ready to give up and call it quits, she was right by my side telling me I can do this. She never gave up on me and I love that about her. She did not see me as a student, but as my own unique person, and that is what makes her special in my heart.

Michele Sipe of Scott wrote:

I currently am experiencing a life-changing teacher. It is not even me directly, but my daughter, Melody. My daughter is in second grade at Chartiers Valley Primary School. This year she has Ms. Gretchen Wentz who has turned out to be an amazing woman. My daughter is very shy and was not quite where she needed to be at the beginning of the year and it was suggested that we consider Title 1 reading, but now I can't believe how far she has come this year in only five short months.

Ms. Wentz never puts anything before the children in her class. She is a very strong woman and has formed a bond with my daughter that is made my daughter believe in teachers and feel close to her. My daughter always had the larger-than-life impression of teachers, and Ms. Wentz has brought a real and caring element to their relationship.

During the beginning of the year, she and I communicated via e-mail and came up with a little plan to help my daughter succeed. Ms. Wentz also started sending extra work home for us to practice to polish up on our skills. She also sends me intermittent notes home to update me on how my daughter is progressing.

But, the thing which I find most impressive about this teacher is her ability to make a child feel special and unique. It truly is unbelievable! She sends notes home on my daughter's paper, but not your typical notes. She draws picture and personalizes the notes. In addition, my daughter loves animals, so Ms. Wentz will give her books of animals, pictures of animals and other tokens that show that she not only listens but she truly cares. My daughter treasures every thing her teacher sends home with her, and I have a box of school keepsakes for her to look at when she grows up.

We have made tremendous leaps and bounds this year and I give much credit to the extra efforts of Gretchen Wentz, BRAVO.

Jan Snyder, born in Carrick and a former Moon resident, now of Spring, Texas, wrote:

A nun that I had in high school changed my life. Her name is Sister Regis Marie Herbst (now called Sister Edna Herbst) and she was the art teacher. But she also taught other subjects as well. I am not an artist and didn't enjoy her art classes. Plus she was quite a stickler for accuracy.

When I saw that she would be my English teacher in my sophomore year at St. Basil's High School in Carrick, I wasn't too happy. Basically the class was about grammar, punctuation, vocabulary (this was a looooong time ago!), even diagramming and parsing sentences. I graduated from high school in 1966.

But Sister threw in her own wrinkle by having the class write an essay once a week, to be turned in on Fridays. She gave us several pages of topics from which to choose.

Being a good "Catholic" girl and wanting to do well, I started checking off all the topics I thought I would write about all year. Each week, I diligently wrote my paper and turned it in. When they came back to me, they were often streaked with "red pen" -- the curse of the nuns!! But I learned a lot and remembered what to do differently on the next paper.

At the end of the year, Sister told me she wanted to see me after class -- uh, oh, I thought, what had I done wrong??

I went up to her desk and she went to her file cabinet. She pulled out a folder and opened it. Inside were all of my essays from the past year. Then she told me that I was one of only a couple of students who had turned in an essay every week. She said that she liked my progression through the year and liked that I corrected things she'd pointed out to me.

Then she hit me with the shocker -- she asked if I "minded" if she kept my essays to use as an example for her class next year. She said they were very good and she'd enjoyed reading them. I was stunned!

She was still not one of my favorite people, but I think because of that, I tried harder to please her (or maybe to spite her!).

I am now a freelance writer and I think I have Sister Regis Marie to thank for that. I write for a section of The Houston Chronicle as well as some magazines, newspapers and sports blogs. In addition, I work for an international corporation where I am the manager of corporate communications.

Had she not challenged me, had I liked her more, her words may not have had the same impact on me as they did. But when she, a no-nonsense type, validated my writing skills, I was able to see how much I really enjoyed writing. She taught me so much about the basics, and she encouraged me to improve and gave me the tools to do it.

I still hated her art classes, but I will be thankful to her forever for believing in me and encouraging me.

Michael Burns, of Trafford, sophomore at Penn-Trafford High School, wrote:

In seventh grade, I had a teacher named Mr. John Connolly at Trafford Middle School. (Mr. Connolly now teaches at Gateway Middle School.) Up until that point, I had completely hated all social studies courses, and I did horribly in them. I walked into his classroom at the beginning of the year, not quite knowing what to expect. Although his room had most of the usual decor -- generic posters, maps and graphs -- I had heard some pretty positive things about him. Despite those comments, nothing up to that point had really proved his grandeur to me.

After a few moments, he entered the room. He stood before us, an Irish man, about 5 foot 5, with black hair but in the early stages of balding. He wore a white polo shirt with black dress pants. Even after just the normal formalities of the first day, I could tell that there was something about him that I knew I would like.

Through the first nine weeks of school, I grew to like Mr. Connolly even more. He was comedic in a way that I hadn't seen in a teacher up until that point. Even while he was a really funny person, he was extremely knowledgeable and he knew how to teach efficiently. He had the perfect mix of teaching skill mixed in with his other qualities. Everything sort of fell into place.

I started to do better in social studies, and, better yet, I actually enjoyed a social studies course. It went from statistics and lectures, to projects and unique way of describing events that painted a real picture in my mind.

Instead of just hearing about events and memorizing them, my mindset morphed into a way of thinking deep into them and forming an epic image of the occurrences therein.

Mr. Connolly showed me that world studies, and school in general for that fact, doesn't have to be a negative experience.

Shirley M. Riley, of Titusville wrote:

I was privileged to have Joseph Fitzpatrick as an art teacher at the Saturday classes at the Carnegie in my formative years. He had a passion for art which overflowed in his enthusiasm in teaching the younger generation to "look, to see, to remember."

I developed a love for art and for seeing life as it was. Color, texture, design and more. I never go for a drive that I don't see the color in the landscape, the sky and the world I am in at the time.

I also had another art teacher, Gerald Hebert (now retired), at the same time who reinforced all the Mr. Fitzpatrick taught. He taught art at Wilkinsburg High School. I graduated in 1969.

Mr. Hebert opened up in each one of his students a well of creativity that just staggers the imagination. The quality of artwork that was produced in my three years of being his student has never been repeated. We had freedom to create, freedom of materials and an endless avenue of media. The world was our oyster, so to speak.

I carry with me in my middle age a love for art that had its foundations in two devoted teachers. I thank them both for their patience and their belief in me as an "artist."

I still do art today, and every time I pick up a brush, clay, pencils, chalk, etc., the memories flood back to a time when my creativity was like a kaleidoscope of ideas.

Brittany Allen, of West Mifflin, junior at West Mifflin Area High School, wrote:

This school year, I have met a teacher who has influenced my life in many ways. My first day of my junior year, I walked into my second-period class, to find a very loving, warming, and caring-looking woman named Alexa Gierling. Ms. G is my English teacher. Even though I have only known her a short time, a half of a school year to be exact, I have came to the conclusion that she is the most phenomenal, helpful, and loving teacher I have ever come in contact with.

Ms. G is not only outstanding in English, but outstanding in truly understanding each student in their very own way. You can tell that she not only cares about her students' grades, but truly cares about their feelings and lives. Ms G. understands what typical teenage high school students go through, including part-time jobs, pounds of homework and personal problems that need to be dealt with.

Ms. G is the first teacher I have known who has influenced my career. I have been considering different careers choices, including being an English teacher. Ms. G convinced me that I should go for my dream and has convinced me that I could be wonderful at it. She also compliments me on my work and has gave me many tips and pointers on how to improve.

Since she knows that being an English teacher is what I want to do in life, it seems to me like she is helping me day by day to make my dream come true. Some examples of this are encouraging me to join the newspaper staff and lending me poems and books to read that she believes I will be interested in.

Ms. G has supported me in many way and put a new prospective of teaching into my heart.

Evan Davis of Philadelphia wrote:

On seeing the request for e-mails, I immediately began to write this letter about my fifth- and sixth-grade math instructor at Boyce Middle School in Upper St. Clair, Mr. Larry Armenini (now retired). My fifth and sixth grade years were 1991-92 and 1992-93.

Mr. Armenini did not teach full math classes; rather, he served as a supplemental instructor for those of us who tested out of our regular math classes. Mr. Armenini was, quite simply, a truly great teacher.

Every other teacher that I had while growing up felt that his or her job was to get students to learn. For Mr. Armenini, his objective was to get students to think. As such, for Mr. Armenini, teaching was not about explaining mathematical concepts to his students, but rather using those concepts to get his students to think, ponder and ask questions.

Mr. Armenini didn't consider himself successful just because a student understood what he was teaching. Instead, Mr. Armenini challenged us by making us realize why something was true and how we ended up reaching that conclusion. Whether through follow-up questions, mind teasers or questions that may not have even had one correct answer, Mr. Armenini understood how to challenge the minds of young students and have them learn in ways that no other teacher could.

The lessons I learned from Mr. Armenini remain relevant to this day. Having studied political science in college and recently graduated from law school, I have relied upon Mr. Armenini's teachings throughout my schooling, as I have learned that no matter the subject material, one must always look beyond what is being taught and think about the underlying lessons.

In short, many students are lucky to have math teachers who can make calculus exciting or successfully explain the nuances behind trigonometric functions. However, precious few are as fortunate as I am to have had a teacher whose goal was not to have his students simply learn a subject, but to learn about learning, or to "think."

Nia Adams, of Elliott, junior at Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, wrote:

The teachers that I have encountered over the years have guided me into working hard to achieving my goals. One in particular has been such a marvelous guide to me that she eternally changed my ways of thinking.

By broadening my mind, by introducing me to such astounding American literature writers such as Henry David Thoreau, Zora Neale Hurston and F. Scott Fitzgerald, my 11th grade English teacher, Ms. Melissa Pearlman, changed my life.

She taught me how to think outside of the congested box full of unembellished thinking and showed me that things are not always what they seem. She opened my eyes to a world of symbolic ideas and how to recognize them when actively reading.

On another note, Melissa Pearlman taught me that the life that you dream of will not be handed to you on a silver platter. I learned this by the colossal amount of homework that she gave me. Later, I realized that she did not just do this out of spite, but did this to really work my brain, as well as the brains of the class, to the best of our abilities and to take full advantage of the time she had with us. She wants us to be the best writers, analyzers and readers as possible.

Aaron Koehler, of McCandless, a Pine-Richland High School teacher, wrote:

In seventh grade at North Allegheny's Carson Middle School in 1991-92, my history teacher's name was Jerry Dattilo (now at Marshall Middle School). Not only did he change how I felt about school and history, but inspired me to become a teacher myself. He made learning fun with a subject that is typically difficult for people to learn and enjoy.

Krista Graham, of Carrick, junior at Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, wrote:

In life, everyone has someone who in one big way or another shapes their lives. A teacher's job is to give knowledge to children, molding and stretching their ways of thinking and learning. Even so, many teachers either mold dry clay, or are not good sculptors to begin with.

Luckily for me, I had a teacher who was a dedicated woman, to art, literature and her students. This teacher is Diane Wright, theater and English teacher at Rogers Middle School for the Creative and Performing Arts in Garfield.

She saw something in me that I can't explain, and she shared her knowledge and joy of learning with me with great zeal. Mrs. Wright is a strong, dedicated, strict, and caring teacher. She was the first woman to ever make me cry over juggling (literally I got a C), but she was also the first person to introduce me to [the late Russian actor] Constantin Stanislavski and the true depth of Shakespeare's worth in a matter of three years -- and have me understand it and love it. This is an incredible feat to be able to teach students such heavy material in middle school.

For those three years, she cultivated my mind, but the life-changing event occurred later when I won an award for Best Drama Buddy at the end of my eighth-grade year. I did not receive the best actor award, but I was happy, because under her I had learned that being talented on stage was all well and good, but the ability to have a respect for your art and your fellow actors was better than getting patted on the back for being talented.

My award was this beautiful plaque and a book: "An Actor Prepares." When I went to read it, to be truthful my pre-teen mind had a little trouble, but after careful thought and re-reading, I poured myself into the pages and realized that everything she had taught me was in this book.

Without Mrs. Wright and her gift of this book that held a whole way of creating art, I'd just be another talented, cookie-cutter high schooler, but I am happy to say, this is not the case. Under her tutelage and gifts I learned work ethic, respect, love for art and artists. She changed my life.

Without her, I would have never had the chance to have such an appetite for learning about what I love from such an early age. I could have been just another wannabe starlet, but because she stepped in and stepped up, I want to be a classically trained actor.

Eric Rogalsky of Greenfield wrote:

I had a lot of great teachers, but I think the one who touched me most was my 11th- and 12th-grade math teacher at Allderdice High School where I graduated in 1984.

Mr. Robert Kengor (now retired) was not only a great teacher, but an inspiration. He knew what to say and how to say it. If we had a bad day, he would help us along. If we didn't understand, he'd give us extra help, and when we were down, he'd make us laugh. His teaching style was one of strictness and humor. In fact, now that I teach at Sunnyside Elementary School in Stanton Heights, I try to be just like him! In fact, I teach math also!

Mr. Kengor taught me that it's not just about getting things right or wrong, but about giving it your best effort and trying.

Denise Fastuca Heidenreich of Fruit Cove, Fla., wrote:

I attended Bethel Park High School from 1972-76. As I am now 40-something, I can tell you there are many high school memories that have faded. There is, however, one memory that remains etched in my thoughts to this day: Paul Mazerov (now retired), also known as "Mr. Maz."

Mr. Maz taught his students that it is good to have dreams. Without a dream how would we gain direction in our lives? No dream was too big as long as we prepared for them. We learned to be strong individuals. Having courage would allow us any opportunity the world has to offer. Elements of character such as honesty, fairness, respect and responsibility were ingrained in Mr. Maz's students without us even realizing! It has served us well in society.

I have followed in Mr. Maz's footsteps as I am a high school teacher in Jacksonville, Fla.

His expression of compassion toward his many students was definitely the one characteristic of Paul Mazerov that struck me the most. He attracted students from all walks of life and taught us to be accepting of our differences. I carry that with me every day I enter my classroom.

He also showed me the importance of learning to laugh at myself as I panicked on an essay exam and turned it in blank! I currently teach my students how to avoid that pitfall by sharing my embarrassing experience that he and I laugh over even now.

The 20-plus years Paul Mazerov dedicated to teaching "Chinese, Soviet, American Relations" to students at Bethel Park High School provided us with an excellent education, although it was Mr. Maz himself that gave us the tools to become successful adults.

Earl McDaniel of North Versailles wrote:

I credit two elementary teachers at Green Valley Primary School in East Allegheny with putting me on a career path.

In sixth grade, my homeroom teacher, Rosemarie Bevil (now retired), in our semi-departmentalized system read to us every afternoon right after lunch. At one point, she read a book, "The Story Girl," that really touched me. I went home and wrote a story, which I gave to my English teacher, Ethel Frink. She read it and commented on it and urged me to do more writing and more reading,

"Write, write, write, and read, read, read," Mrs. Frink said 45 years ago. (And I'll bet I still have her note at my mother's house.) Furthermore, she pushed me to write better in my classwork for her because she knew I could.

I am not and may never become a novelist or successful short story writer (although the path they put me on has me in the MFA program at Pitt), but these two women gave me a love of words and writing that took me into a long career in newspapers, and once I lost that, I was able to write and edit as a free-lancer, and now I write grant proposals for the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium.

Long after I won't be able to mow my own lawn, I'll be able to write and edit, and I'll always be able to make a buck.

Danielle Schlesinger of Mt. Lebanon, eighth-grader at Jefferson Middle School, wrote:

As I sit in math class, thinking how to solve the problem I'm working on, I think of these words that were hung on the classroom wall in elementary school:

"The children stood on the cliff, and their teacher pushed them. But instead of falling, they flew."

I remember the tiny, thin, wood picture frame that hung on the wall of the teacher's room surrounding these few simple words. Suddenly, the image of Ms. Valerie Brown, my third-grade teacher at Hoover Elementary (now on loan to the ASSET science program), floats into my thoughts. She wears a long, flowered, blue skirt, a pearly, white T-shirt and the biggest smile you could ever imagine.

"You can do it," Ms. Brown says in a soothing voice, "I know you can."

Ms. Brown's words give me that extra push to try harder on my math problem.

It is a dreary and cold winter day. I'm a third grader at Hoover Elementary School. I merrily skip into class, give Ms. Brown a hug, and sit down in my rigid chair. After getting out my multiplication homework, I wait for Ms. Brown to start class. Kids file in and take out their homework. At the front of the class, Ms. Brown waits for every ones attention.

As soon as everybody is settled, Ms Brown begins. "Everyone put your math homework away," she says, always with a smile. "Today we're going to start a new project."

All my classmates groan, but I just look at Ms. Brown and grin. I have to admit, I am a math nerd. Ms. Brown gently glides around the room and hands out the papers for the project. She gives me the extra-hard enrichment problem.

When I look at the sheet, I automatically think, "This will be easy." We begin working. My hand and pencil are flying over the paper, and I'm answering the math questions. Suddenly, I come to a screeching halt. I look at my paper and try to continue, but all I see are twisted numbers on the page.

Ms. Brown comes around and asks people if they need help. Then, she walks over to me. "How are you doing on the math problem, Danielle?"

"I'm actually not getting this," I complain, "I'm really aggravated right now. I don't understand how to divide the cat food. It just doesn't make sense."

Ms. Brown sits down beside me and starts to explain. When she was done, she asks me if I understand it now. "Yes," I say, but really I think, "HELP!"

For the rest of the day, I am in a sour mood. Even after Ms. Brown explained the problem to me about five times, I'm still stuck. I become so frustrated with myself that I begin to cry. Since Ms. Brown is outside monitoring recess, she sees me.

"What's wrong, Danielle?" she asks me.

"It's no big deal," I mutter, wiping my tears away, "I'm just so upset that I don't understand the math problem. I've tried over and over again to figure it out, but every time I try, I just confuse myself more."

Ms. Brown looks at me, and then she tries to explain again. I think and think, but it's just not coming to me.

"Come on, Danielle," Ms. Brown coaxed. "Just don't worry about it, and soon you'll be flying off that cliff. Now just go and have fun with your friends; it's recess."

My friends and I decide to go and see how high we can jump on the fence with a running start. I run across the court, jump up, and as I'm soaring through the air, I suddenly understand what Ms. Brown tried to explain to me. I'm so caught up in my thoughts; I completely miss the fence and fall down onto my back.

I sit up and yell, "I finally figured it out!" I jump off my feet and run down the hill to Ms. Brown. After telling her that I finally figured out the problem, I give her a hug.

"Thanks for always pushing me!" I exclaim.

Ms. Brown always knew the perfect thing to say to me whenever I was stuck on the edge of a cliff with no place to go. Without even noticing, she would give me that extra push that would send me flying off the cliff. All through elementary school, Ms. Brown was there to guide me.

Now in the years after third grade, I always use those words that I will never forget to help me get through any problem I have, whether it's school, fights with my friends, or anything else that stops me from moving on in any way.

Dolores Poka of Tallahassee, Fla., wrote:

In 1954, I transferred from Green Valley Elementary in East McKeesport to Myrtle Avenue Elementary in Castle Shannon because my mother had remarried. It was a very hard transition since I was leaving my grandparents who had raised me. I hated my new life and the isolation that resulted due to cultural differences and prejudices between my new "family" and my biological family.

But as the school year began and I became acquainted with my new teachers and a great wave of calm and peace came into my life when I was assigned math class with Mrs. Florence Martin. She was not only a very conscientious and dedicated teacher, but she was a concerned and lovely woman who looked beyond my passive and uninterested attitude in class. She became my friend, and her kind, calm demeanor reminded me of my loving grandparents whom I missed so much.

The only "happy place" in my life was going to Mrs. Martin's math class. She was so concerned and caring and so very often she would ask me after class how I was doing and if everything was OK. She knew that there was something terribly wrong!

She was a strong support and saved my emotional life by her loving kindness!

A real interesting thing about our relationship, which began in the seventh grade, is that in 1966 -- after Mrs. Martin retired --we were reunited. There was a chance meeting in a grocery store in St. Petersburg, Fla., not because we planned it or not even that I recognized her. But her ever-loving spirit and her natural interest in children brought us together again.

I was grocery shopping with my son, Robb, who then was 1 year old, and this most gentle and kind woman reached over and touched him and spoke to him until he responded. Then she turned to me and commented on what a beautiful child he was! It was only then that I recognized her as someone whom I had met before.

After a brief conversation and eliminating any places we could have met in Florida, the next question was: Have you ever lived in Pennsylvania? Her eyes lit up and she answered: "Yes, in fact I just retired this year and will be spending the winters in Florida."

It was then that I knew who she was and that after all these years I had been blessed to meet this kind soul once again. That bond that developed when I was 12 years old prompted me to visit her often. She was widowed, never had children, so we became her family for the next three winters she spent in Florida.

The loving qualities she lived by is an example we are all obligated by Jesus to practice if we claim to be Christian. John 13:34. Her kindness has had affect on my life after all these years and definitely cushioned the effects of emotional abuse!

Don Opacic of Franklin Park wrote:

How could teachers not change and influence your life? From the formative years in grade school, teachers along with your parents form the morals, ethics and opinions in later life. These are reinforced as one progresses from grade to the high school curriculums.

Being in my senior years, I was indeed fortunate to have teachers who were totally dedicated to educating their wards. They prepared me to take on the challenges for what life has presented me.

Michael J. Kearney of Charlotte, N.C., wrote:

Mr. Richard Blosser (now deceased), a teacher at Bellevue High School (now part of the Northgate merger) in the 1960s was an immeasurable influence on my life.

Mr. Blosser taught languages (Spanish) to me for three years. That was because it took me two years to complete Spanish 1. My problem with Spanish and other subjects was not a lack of intellect, but a lack of motivation and discipline.

Three-quarters of the way through Spanish 1, the school administration requested a meeting with my parents to inform them that I was in danger of flunking at least three and possibly four subjects. This was a major surprise to my parents as I had stolen a set of report cards during the summer before 10th grade and had replaced the actual report card documents that the school had sent home.

Following the meeting between my parents and the school officials, and after it was apparent that I had not only done poorly in academics but that I had been a complete jerk to some of my teachers, including Mr. Blosser, Mr. Blosser then volunteered to tutor me daily both in the early morning prior to school and in the afternoon after school to allow me to catch up on my Spanish 1 knowledge.

This he did this for months at no cost to my parents and at great time expense to himself (I am sure that anyone can imagine what type of commitment this was for a single young guy at the time). His commitment and effort made a major impression on me as fortunately I was able to go forward graduate from high school and attend college and graduate school.

In the final analysis, my life achievements far exceeded any that I had ever expected as a high school student, because that lazy, unmotivated kid became a corporate CEO due in a large part to the influence and support of one Richard Blosser, a dedicated teacher at Bellevue High School in the '60s.

George Drombosky of Hamilton, N.J., wrote:

The teacher who made the difference with me, my brother Ken and most of the students of West Deer Township High School (now Deer Lakes) would be Mr. Dan Angeloni, who taught social studies and journalism. This teacher was a real motivator, a friend as well as a teacher. Although he is now retired, he still keeps in contact with the "graduates" from the old West Deer High School who are located all over the world.

I am a 1963 graduate and my brother was a 1964 graduate of West Deer. I am a Pittsburgh native transplant now living in Hamilton, N.J., and working for the U.S. Air Force at McGuire. Every time I get a chance to visit Pittsburgh, I try to make it a point for my brother and me to visit Mr. Angeloni.

I could say much more about Mr. Angeloni, but I owe my success to his guidance and instruction. He never gave up hope on his students. Thanks to him, we all became successful after high school.

Bill Pusateri of Morningside wrote:

When I was a student at South Catholic High School from 1956 to 1960, I was the most awkward, shy, and voiceless kid you could ever imagine.

I was fearful of gym class, fearful of being questioned even though I knew the answer. Fearful of making friends.

I guess this came from a very strict home upbringing. My parents firmly believed in the "be seen, but not heard" philosophy. Also, "keep your mouth shut, and eyes and ears open." I took that advice to the extreme.

One day my English teacher, Ed Carey, said that I was a good writer. I believed him.

I started writing as a form of expression. I even got a poem published one time.

Next he said I had a good voice, once my voice deepened somewhere around age 14.

He put me into a part in the school play and taught me how to use my voice and what he called "have a stage presence."

I learned how to act, move easily around a stage in front of hundreds of people. I could project my voice.

I felt that I had been freed of my fears about myself. I don't know how many others he influenced in this way.

His name is Ed Carey. He still produces community plays around town. He is still doing good work in a quiet sort of way.

I met him some 25 years after graduation. I told him, "You have had a big influence on my life."

Emma Lee Hartle of Hampton wrote:

Many talk of those who believe in them and of those who had patience with them. I would like to speak of one who could take 100+ crazy, hyperactive, high school kids and infuse them with love and discipline to produce the best vocal music in the state of PA.

Speak to any alumni of North Hills High School who ever sang under Mr. Frank Cummings (now retired), or Mr. C. as we affectionately referred to him. The mention of his name, decades later, brings a smile to the face and a blanket of warmth over the soul for a man who believed that we all could be the best and lead us to that goal year after year after year.

Mr. Cummings left Moon High School to come to North Hills in the early to mid 1960s. He took jocks and nerds and grease monkeys, and cliquers and turned them into the best choruses in the state of PA.

But Mr. C was always so much more than just the music. You just had to do your absolute best for him. To disappoint him would have been so devastating. Whether we went on to become jet mechanics, educators, machinists or lawyers, those of us who sang under Mr. C. knew we were a privileged lot. There are so very few of his caliber.

For me personally, Mr. C. is a saint. He made me understand the sacred in performing. He made me understand that I had been given a special gift, and that I had a unique responsibility to care and nurture that gift. It has been more than 30 years since I have been blessed by this man. Yet, there is never a song that I sing, that has not been enriched from knowing and learning from this man.

Ali Ault-Johnson, who grew up in Banksville and now lives in Fontana, Calif., wrote:

I was a student at Seton-La Salle High School from 1989-1993, and the teacher who impacted my life was Mr. Dennis Dudley (now at Shaler Area High School). Mr. Dudley was a science teacher who had high expectations for all of his students. It was obvious that he spent a lot of time and energy creating lessons that captivated students' interest.

On a more personal level, he helped me realize my potential as a student and inspired me to become a teacher myself. I am currently in my ninth year of teaching eighth-grade U.S. History in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. I am proud to be carrying on the lessons I learned from Mr. Dudley 15 years ago.

Dan Lacich of Orlando, Fla., wrote:

I graduated from Baldwin High School in 1975. Chuck McKinney (now retired) was a biology teacher as well as assistant football coach and head track coach. From football season of my sophomore year until graduation, he was involved in my life nearly every school day as a coach and mentor. He saw a raw leadership ability in me that I did not see and he shaped it through countless demonstrations of encouragement and wisdom. He put me in positions to lead and treated me with respect and dignity.

I wanted to succeed in all I did because I wanted to make sure that he knew that his investment of time and energy was not wasted. I can still see him standing on a hill above the track one day when I was working out in the off season when he yelled down to me, "Lacich, that's what leaders are made of."

I knew that he meant going the extra mile and leading by example when others had stopped. It was a mantra with him. It is one lesson of many from him that has stuck with me and shaped how I lead and serve others. He always had a way of correcting in a positive and encouraging manner. It was also obvious that he was having the time of his life helping shape the lives of students.

For Coach McKinney, it really was all about helping others to succeed.

This was true in the classroom as well as on the game field. He overflowed with a joy for learning that was infectious to even the most unmotivated students. Students often want to take a class from a teacher who is easy. Students wanted to be in Coach McKinney's classes because they learned in ways they never thought they could.

I currently live in Orlando, Fla., where I serve on the staff of a 7,000-member church and coach high school football.

David Marks of Duquesne wrote:

I DID have a teacher at Duquesne High School who changed my life.

James St. Clair was a longtime Duquesne resident. He was quirky and extremely intelligent. And I was surprised to learn from my mother that he was her English teacher in ninth grade. That was in 1940.

Mr. St. Clair taught my 10th-grade social studies class. The year was 1973. His major concern was that teenagers are not prepared for the marketplace. Mr. St. Clair's social studies class focused on "caveat emptor" -- buyer beware. He was a wealth of knowledge and his class helped me to understand marketing, the market and misleading advertising. He also taught me that people do have recourse when they are misled by false advertisements. He taught us about "bait and switch," and how to look out for similar offers.

I think of Mr. St. Clair virtually every single day of my life. I trade natural gas on the open market and am responsible for a lot of my employer's money. I must make informed decisions and behave prudently in the marketplace in order to maintain good trading relationships and get the best price.

Mr. St. Clair's impact was tremendous and his teaching made me stand up for my rights as a customer and a market participant. He taught that fairness and openness makes for the best market for all. He was right. His teaching has gone a long way to make me a successful energy professional.

Bob Knoerl of Greenfield wrote:

First I think a lot of people would be amazed at how I turned out, but I like to think one teacher played a huge part in my becoming a man.

Her name was Mrs. Meyers. (First name uncertain.) She was my grade school teacher at Greenfield Elementary in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. She was a wonderful teacher who never judged her students for the clothes that they wore or the status that they had.

This was in 1974 and 1975 in the time when teachers were allowed to paddle kids without being tried for abuse and kids respected that. Mrs. Meyers never paddled, but we had a few that did at Greenfield. She was always caring and would help out everyone.

The day that stands out in my memory was the day she invited me to her home to help me practice singing for the school play. She had a beautiful home on Beechwood Boulevard in Squirrel Hill. Her daughter was there and helped also.

I really have no idea what has happened to her, but I do think of the nice things she shared with me back then.