Every morning at Germanshire Elementary, Tiffany Buggs stands in the hallway, greeting her students with a smile, a kind word, and sometimes a warm hug. It’s a ritual she’s come to cherish. She knows that for some of her kids, those hugs are more than just a simple greeting—they’re a lifeline. "Every day I stand in the hallway and I greet my students and I give everyone that wants one a hug, which is all but one," she says with a laugh. "I think what makes a good teacher is somebody who has a lot of empathy and can understand what the kids are, might be going through or what they're thinking. It's somebody who can make somebody smile every single day." As the bell rings and the day begins, Tiffany’s heart swells with the knowledge that she is not just a teacher to her students; she’s a guide, a mentor, and a safe space for them to explore their potential.

Throughout the day, Tiffany leads her class through lessons on everything from space to decimals, watching with pride as her students tackle challenging material with growing confidence. But it's the "aha" moments—the breakthroughs that come when a student finally grasps a concept—that make every lesson worthwhile. “There are 'aha' moments every day, and that is what keeps me coming back to work every single day,” Tiffany explains. “When the parents come in or when the kids themselves come in the next day and they tell me something that they applied to what I'm teaching to their life and they're so excited about it—like right now we're teaching space—that is the best thing. When they can take it outside of the classroom and see how it connects to the real world, that’s when I know I’ve made a difference.”

But for Tiffany, the real reward comes in seeing her students not only succeed academically but also grow as individuals. "Just seeing kids that struggle or just make it in life and come back to tell you about it is the best thing in the whole world," she says, her voice filled with warmth. It's in those moments—when a former student comes back to visit or shares how they’ve applied what they learned in her classroom to their life—that Tiffany knows she’s doing more than just teaching. She’s shaping the next generation of thinkers, dreamers, and doers. And that, to her, is the greatest joy of all.

Check out the video here:  https://youtu.be/3QjN5fwKE_o