It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and a teacher from Cheektowaga Middle School deserves a shout out for teaching life lessons that students can apply outside of the classroom.

After the Buffalo Bills suffered that heartbreaking loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2022 playoffs, 6th grade students at Cheektowaga Middle School were feeling defeated.

Until Mrs. Haines was able to turn those frowns upside down. 

Becky Switzer Haines had originally planned a different kind of a lesson planned for that January day, but she changed course. 

"When I looked at the kids and heard their conversations, I decided they needed something different today," Switzer Haines said. "I decided instead, to teach a lesson on perseverance and how we can overcome adversity."

Switzer Haines and her 6th grade class at Cheektowaga Middle School sent the Buffalo Bills some kind words of encouragement that day, and she proved to her kids that while you can be sad about losing, you should never give up. 

Richard Branson, founder of Virgin magazine, once said, “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again,” and Switzer Haines proved that to her students.  

Switzer Haines went above and beyond this week to bring a smile to her students’ faces once again when she ran into former Buffalo Bills star Stevie Johnson. 

Mrs. Haines shared the story of the letters with Stevie Johnson, and he was so moved that he wanted to thank her students with a video!

You can see that video below.

“He recorded a video on my phone for me to show them all at school today,” Switzer Haines posted on Facebook. “Boy were they all star struck and smiling from ear to ear.”

Teachers go above and beyond more than any of us realize, so if you see one, tell them you appreciate them – especially during Teacher Appreciation Week.

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