Dear Mrs. Keegan,

Congratulations on your retirement. Thanks for being so supportive. I really appreciate what you have done for me. I wish you all the best and I hope you will have a happy retirement. I want to dedicate this poem to you.

Thank you, teacher,

for being my life’s role model.

When I consider all you’ve taught me

and reflect on the kind of person you are,

I want to be like you—

smart, interesting and engaging,

positive, confident, yet unpretentious.

I want to be like you—

well-informed and easy to understand,

thinking with your heart as well as your head,

gently nudging us to do our best,

with sensitivity and insight.

I want to be like you—

giving your time, energy and talent,

to ensure the brightest possible future

for each of us.

Thank you, teacher

for giving me a goal to shoot for

I want to be like you!

– Joanna Fuchs

From your loving student,

Zobia Iqbal