One of the most important lessons Cynthia Thompson has imparted to the hundreds of students she’s taught over her nearly five decades at Kenner’s Bonnabel High School is simple: You have to celebrate your wins.
But as she marks a milestone few educators reach — 50 years in the classroom — it’s Thompson’s students and colleagues who are celebrating her. Over the past three months, they have led a celebratory campaign they’re calling “50 Fridays for 50 Years,” where a different school organization finds a creative way to honor Thompson every week. The balloons and photos and other mementos piling up in her classroom are a testament to her far-reaching impact.
Thompson has given the school much to celebrate. Known affectionately to many as “Mama T,” she has taught English at Bonnabel since 1977. For the past 15 years, she hasn’t missed a single workday…