School isn’t just about tests and grades and homework. For many students it’s also about the people they meet along the way. One of the biggest parts of high school is the relationships they build with their teachers.
At Miami High, those connections mean a lot because they motivate students, help them through tough times, and even change the way they see themselves. Teachers do more than just stand at the front of the classroom. They listen, encourage, and believe in their students. Most of the time, that’s exactly what a teenager needs to feel seen.
Many students describe their favorite teachers as more than just teachers. They are people who make learning fun and give advice and push students to keep going when things get hard. Ariany Valdes, a sophomore, says, “Ms. Barona, a reading teacher, is beyond nice, and I feel like students wouldn’t learn what language arts really is if she wasn’t here.” For some students, a teacher’s support is the reason they pass a class.
For others, it’s the reason they discover a subject or passion they care about. “Ms. Perez, the law magnet teacher, made me discover a love for law and learning it. She helped me become better in law,” says Khloe Aragon, a sophomore.
The influence from teachers doesn’t just stay in the classroom. Teachers often step in when students are dealing with problems outside of school, giving them advice, support, or just someone to talk to. Genesis Galan, a junior, says, “Mr. Strickland, an intensive math teacher, has helped me improve as a person and to stay focused on what’s ahead. He’s really been impactful in my life as far as always giving me the right advice.”
Brandon Flores, a sophomore, says, “Ms. G (Ms. Gutierrez), a biology teacher, has taught me to be more disciplined. She’s always stayed on top of me to make sure I get my work done.”
It’s hard to picture Miami High without teachers who truly care about their students. Without those relationships, school would feel a lot less welcoming and a lot more stressful. Jayden Howard, a senior, says, “My favorite teacher who has impacted me the most, Dr. Lacy, has already left MHS, and it feels weird knowing I can’t just go to her classroom or talk to her about things.”
So how do these connections happen? It’s usually the little things. Teachers that ask about your day or remember something you said or notice when something feels off end up being the ones you trust the most. Mr. Urrusuno, a geometry teacher, says, “Making a connection with students is important when that’s what they need. It helps a lot in the classroom when you have a bond. It helps them by making the student comfortable with asking for help or making mistakes.”
Those little moments show students they’re seen as real people, not just a name on a paper. Khloe Aragon, says, “I’m a very shy person at times. A teacher making the effort to create a bond with me has always helped me be more comfortable in the classroom.”
Not only do teachers have a big impact on students, as they are the person they see the most, but students have a big impact on teachers too. Ms. Delgado-Kow, a psychology and world history teacher, says, “They teach me new things every day—I either learn new things to say or what’s happening in the world through them.”
Mr. Urrusuno says, “They help me understand math better as I’m teaching it to them. With their questions or just reviewing things, I feel like I understand math more each day.”
Teachers end up being so impactful that students remember them 5-10 years after they graduate. Mr. Lacayo, a geometry teacher, says, “I don’t expect students to remember me, but I what I teach them in math or even if I teach them life lessons, I hope they carry that with them forever.”
At the end of the day, the connections between students and teachers are what make school feel alive. They’re the reasons students feel supported, the push to keep going when things get tough, and the memories that last long after graduation. At Miami High, those relationships show that education isn’t just about learning from a textbook; it’s about the family you create in school. 
