Throughout someone’s education there is usually at least one teacher they will never forget.

Whether it’s a funny memory, being a role model or serving as a source of inspiration, 10 Seymour High School senior scholars had the opportunity to thank the educators who made a lasting impression on them.

On Sunday evening, the scholars and their families attended a dinner at The Pines Evergreen Room in Seymour to recognize and honor each student’s choice for the teacher who has influenced them the most.

The event is an annual tradition and helps kick off National Teacher Appreciation Week, which runs from May 6-10.

This year’s scholars are Kayla Baker, Sam Baker, Elise Hartung, Ashlyn Henderson, Lucas Jablonski, Sydney Montgomery, Avery Musgrave, Bret Perry, Brandon Van Doren and Katherine Veatch.

Each student honored their most influential teachers in speeches and presented them with plaques.

“Tonight we honor the village that it takes to raise the fine young men and women that are here to celebrate,” Principal Steve Bush said. “They have each named their most influential teacher along the way, and I know a lot of them had some sleepless nights trying to figure it out.”

Teacher Amanda Stepanick was honored by Kayla Baker, who said she always had the best discussions in her class and a way of explaining confusing material. Baker said Stepanick was always willing to help with anything even if it was not relate to the subject she was teaching.

High School math teacher Ann Tormoehlen was honored by Sam Baker.

“To the teacher that displayed alacrity, determination and modesty, I thank you,” he said. “Mrs. Tormoehlen taught me all about calculus, but her most important lessons have been teaching through example. After every test, she advises us to be about our progress rather than our errors. Sometimes during our boastful highs she kept us humble by helping us recall that we all start somewhere. I know that as long as Mrs. Tormoehlen is at Seymour High School, there will be a classroom filled with enthusiasm and resilience.

Tormoehlen shared her favorite thing about Sam is his authentic personality and his passion for a deep level of understanding.

High school band director Kevin Cottrill was chosen by Hartung as her most influential educator.

“His energy and humor will stick with me forever,” she said. “My freshman year he asked me to learn an entirely new instrument just because he thought I could. My junior year he allowed me to play piano in the pit orchestra for the musical and it was one of my favorite experiences with music. He has inspired me to continue to be involved with music for the rest of my life.”

Cottrill said he was completely humbled to be among great teachers and students.

“Its easy to teach great students and we have had a lot of them through the years,” he said.

Teacher Amanda Dennis was honored by Ashlyn Henderson as her most influential teacher.

“Mrs. Dennis is a very motivating, caring and inspiring teacher with a great sense of humor and has allowed me to express myself in numerous ways,” she said. “I may not have been able to do a handstand in her class, but I will always cherish the random conversations she would occasionally entertain. I have been very grateful to have such an amazing teacher during my final year at Seymour High School, and I want to say thank you for encouraging me through my senior year.”

Emerson Elementary School teacher Sherry Dart was chosen by Lucas Jablonski.

“Mrs. Dart was the one who first started my love for knowledge. She said knowledge is something to be pursued,” he said. “It’s because of her that I enjoy learning about the world around me. Thank you for giving me the ability to pursue academic excellence and knowledge now and for the rest of my life.”

Dart shared her thanks with the audience and with Jablonski.

“This is why I teach to instill a lot of learning,” she said. “I saw in you someone that was going to change the world.”

Teacher Sherry Holt-Price was honored by Montgomery as her most influential teacher.

“She provided a class that I always enjoyed going to and felt very comfortable around since the beginning,” she said. “She is always willing to look over a scholarship or college essay and keep up with both my successes and failures. She has been more than a teacher, she has been a mentor.”

Holt-Price said Montgomery always had a silent tenacity about her and knew she was going to do well in life.

” It’s been an honor to be your teacher and I will be watching you from the sidelines,” she said.

High school science teacher Sara Bane was chosen by Musgrave.

“She has really impacted my feelings towards environmentalism and how important it is,” she said. “Before taking AP Environmental Sciences I never thought too much about the environment, but since taking this class I have become very passionate about different environmental issues. I am so grateful that her passion transferred to me and has had such a positive influence on my life.”

Bane said Musgrave is the type of student that makes her want to be a better teacher and also shared a recent story of Musgrave’s kindness.

“Avery was in sustainability this year and it’s a mixed bag of kids … a lot of these kids probably never had class together,” she said. “A few weeks ago, I reached out to the club and needed some volunteers to do the announcements for Earth Week. I had a freshman student who English is not his first language and he really wanted to do the announcements, but he was hesitant. Avery swooped in like a big sister and volunteered to do the announcements with him. I don’t know if she knows how much he needed that boost of confidence and how much that helped him.”

Jennie Chase, a second grade teacher at Emerson Elementary School, was honored by Perry.

“She taught me to become a hard worker in everything I did through her passion for teaching,” he said. “She inspired me each and every day to treat others with kindness no matter what was going on in my own life.”

Chase shared her thanks while trying to hold back some tears.

“I can retire anytime, but every once in a while, I have something like this happen and it sparks the energy to keep teaching again,” she said.

Computer science teacher Matt Dennis was chosen by Van Doren as his most influential teacher.

“His personality is similar to that of a crème brulee,” he said. “Cracking through his hard shell is a passionate delightful whose main goal is to help students thrive not only in high school but college as well. No one can surpass the legendary status Mr. Dennis has left at Seymour High School.”

Immanuel Lutheran School music teacher Paul Scheiderer was the final teacher to be honored Sunday evening by Veatch.

“Thank you for being the kind, patient and selfless person I have always known you to be,” she said. “You were there for my first day at Immanuel to my last and continued to come in with a positive good-natured energy day-in and day-out. Thank you for being yourself and nothing less.”