Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Tuesday.

As I read the names of the teachers Monday who were selected as finalists for this year’s Albert Lea Area Schools Teacher of the Year award, my mind thought back to some of my own teachers over the years who impacted my life.

As many of you know, I grew up on the East Coast in Roanoke, Virginia, with one year spent in Florence, South Carolina, when I was in seventh grade when my father was transferred there for work.

Though I can’t necessarily remember what I learned in each of my classes, I can remember most of the teachers I had over the years by name. More than that, I remember how those teachers made me feel as a young person on my journey to conquer life — whether I was a 5-year-old child, a teenager or a college student getting ready to enter the real world. They made me feel like I could achieve anything.

One of my favorite teachers throughout all of my education was a music teacher with a great sense of humor who taught me and my two sisters and who was also one of the coaches for our Odyssey of the Mind teams. Mr. Seymour was a delight to be around, and as I picture him now as I write this, I can see his larger-than-life smile.

Another one of my favorite teachers was a professor I had while attending college at Brigham Young University. Who would have thought that my freshman biology class taught by a man who had degrees in studying insects would have been one of my favorite throughout my entire college experience? I can’t say I didn’t like science before that class, but it definitely wasn’t my favorite.

Again, I don’t necessarily remember much of what I learned, but I remember wanting to learn because of how contagious this professor’s passion was for biology and for life in general.

That professor, Gary Booth, was also a spiritual man and a man who was willing to share about the lessons learned his life in hopes he could help at least one other person.

In my book, he was also a genius. Since I graduated in 2006, I have read numerous articles about his research. He has studied cures for cancer, among other important things.

Now I fast-forward almost 12 years since I graduated college, and I have also had the opportunity to witness several other awesome teachers — this time in the lives of my own children here in Albert Lea.

Both my daughter and my son have had phenomenal teachers, starting in the early childhood and preschool years and entering into elementary school.

Just like my favorite teachers who made me feel like I could achieve anything, I have seen that spark in my own children’s lives as their teachers have made them excited about learning.

Both of my children have loved going to school, and I credit that in large part to the wonderful teachers they have had.

Have you had a teacher who has made a difference in your life? Don’t forget to let them know! Teachers put in hours and hours of hard work into their classroom, and they deserve all of our thanks.

And don’t forget to find out who this year’s Teacher of the Year will be during a reception at 4 p.m. March 28 in the Albert Lea High School commons area.