Teachers, if you wonder why you do it -- here's the reason.

Listen to this moving speech by Paul Serrato, the 2015 Apalachee High School valedictorian. Congratulations to Paul, who will attend Stanford University , one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. (And one of the most difficult to gain admission.)

As Barrow Superintendent Chris McMichael said:

Anyone who believes that the schools and teachers in our state and this great nation are not  providing the opportunities for our children to receive a strong education need to listen to Paul and perhaps reflect a bit on what actually matters. It is not about the test scores and statistical minutia. It is about the relationships and connections that are facilitated on day-to-day basis in our schools and classrooms that make this kind of impact on a person's life and future.

While I was listening to Paul speak I could not have been prouder to be a public educator in this community and in this state."

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Wade Roberts (center), a Decatur parent with children in three of the city schools, addresses concerns  with the possibility of a K-2 school closing. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Rose Scott signals as "Closer Look" goes on the air in the WABE studio. An Atlanta resident left WABE a $3 million donation, a boost after WABE lost $1.9 million in annual funding from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. (Ben Gray for the AJC 2023)

Credit: Ben Gray