Happy New Year! From #BestSchoolDay to #GivingTuesday, our teachers, students, and donors gave us some very bright spots to remember from 2016. In honor of these everyday heroes, we’ve collected six of our favorite thank-you notes from these past 12 months.In students' own words, here are a few highlights from last year—and a hope-filled reminder of all we can achieve together in 2017.
6. Jasmine knew how hard her teacher worked
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62a9de894608850cc777401b/62bb95f433ebd04324eef0d4_11.24_TYN-1-570x285.jpeg)
5. Gavin understood why learning is fun
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62a9de894608850cc777401b/62bb95f43374ce8333ccbc4b_11.24_TYN2-570x285.jpeg)
4. Kyla learned fractions with the help of a new projector
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62a9de894608850cc777401b/62bb95f51654040b17a6d29c_11.24_TYN3-570x285.jpeg)
3. Paisley’s class replaced rug burns with smiles
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62a9de894608850cc777401b/62bb95f5aab6e7c98418ea15_Artboard-1-copy-4-570x285.jpeg)
2. Martha was inspired by every donor who believed in her.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62a9de894608850cc777401b/62bb95f586fb8358a6a0a7c6_Artboard-1-copy-570x285.jpeg)
1. Emily and her peers discovered the secrets of the universe
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62a9de894608850cc777401b/62bb95f626a24f150d4f5200_Artboard-1-570x285.jpeg)
Learn more about DonorsChoose.org's impact on public schoolsRead the philosophy behind students thank-yousSupport a classroom