The Coolest Thing a Student Ever Gave Me

In honor of teacher appreciation week and seeing as how I am a teacher and all, I thought it was only appropriate to take a few minutes this week to tell you about the coolest gift I have ever received from a student. 

First, let it be said that I teach high school. High school teachers don't get nearly as many gifts as elementary teachers for whatever reason, but I have had some really awesome students over the past seven years and have, in turn, been given some really cool gifts. 

However, this one is the coolest. 

Bloggers, meet Evan. 

Cute picture, right? 

Evan is one of my former and current students; I taught him when he was in tenth grade and am now teaching him again as a senior. Poor thing, having me for two years. Oh, the agony. 

Anyway, Evan has an amazing family. 

And Evan and his amazing family spent last semester serving in Ghana, Africa. 

(You can learn more about their story here.) 

Evan knew I loved Africa, and before he left for his trip,

 he asked if he could bring me something back as a souvenir. 

Well, I didn't want to ask for something he would have to buy,

 nor did I want to ask for something that might be hard to find, etc. 

So, I asked him to bring me a rock. 

To me, having something that has been in Africa for who knows how many years and that is in some way a little piece of Africa is about the coolest thing I could ask for.  Plus, I've always been more of a sentimental gift lover anyway; give me something that you put thought into, and I will treasure it always. 

Well, Evan said he looked and looked and just never could find THE PERFECT rock to bring back to me. 

And then, a few days before they were to return to the United States, Evan and his family went to the beach in Ghana, and he saw this in the sand. 

Not ONLY did he bring me back my own little piece of Africa, but it's in the SHAPE of AFRICA!

Best teacher present ever. 

Hands down. 

Happy Teacher's Appreciation Week to all of my friends who spend their days saying 'no' and 'sit down' and 'stop talking' and use red pens like it's the cool thing to do. Her'es hoping you one day have a student cool enough to bring you your own version of a rock shaped like Africa.