Teen Voices: Featuring Grace and Her Hero, Ms. Hang

Teens, as part of Elevate Your Voice, we're asking you to give a shout out to your hero and to share an original art piece, video, photo or recording inspired by your hero. Your submission could be featured on the CPL website, like this one.

Grace of Brighton Park Branch has felt inspired by Ms. Hang, her math teacher from 5th to 8th grade.

Grace admires Mr. Hang for the lectures and life lessons she's shared, helping students become better, hardworking people, but also kind and caring individuals. Although most people may feel inspired by a celebrity, rather than a teacher, Grace thinks it's the people who are close to you that really make a difference in your life. Ms. Hang understood her, but was also there for when she needed her.

Grace explained that Ms. Hang always works extremely hard for her students, such as by staying at school until it closes to grade tests and homework or talking with eighth graders individually to help them fill out their high school applications. Although Ms. Hang always works hard to help her students to excel academically, Grace said she cares for them individually. "She is not just a teacher; she practically treats her students as if they were her own children and even admitted that she feels as if her children are her students. I believe that is something truly admirable because it shows how much Ms. Hang cares for every one of us."

Grace is shouting out to Ms. Hang as her hero because "without Ms. Hang, I doubt that I'd be where I am today" and Grace believes it would be great for Ms. Hang to finally gain some recognition and be thanked for being such an amazing teacher. In her honor, she created the above image by editing a copyright free photo from Pixabay with the app Pixapopz.