By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

DANDAN Elementary School students are honoring their teachers as DES celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week which ends on Friday.
This is seventh year to celebrate an event which aims to foster closer ties between students and teachers.
DES principal Jonas Barcinas said, since Monday, students have been expressing gratitude to their teachers who are given special gifts every day.
Organized by the student council, the weeklong activity also includes hugging and kissing teachers.
Yesterday, a variety of fruit was offered to the teachers besides special refreshments prepared by the council.
“Our students also put ‘2 Thank You’ bulletin boards on campus to give every student the opportunity to write something for their teachers,” Barcinas said, adding that there’s a need to show appreciation to the teachers for all the sacrifices and commitment they have made for the students’ education.
According to DES student council president Jianna Ramon, a sixth grader, they will treat every teacher “extra special” this week.
On Monday, teachers received thank you cards and posters from students.
“For Tuesday, we asked students to bring chocolate for the teachers and flowers and leis on Thursday. We are also scheduled to waive and honk in the streets so the community will know how much we appreciate and value our teachers’ contributions,” Ramon said.
A special performance is slated for Friday while a trip to Managaha for teachers is scheduled on Saturday.
“Everybody pitched in to make this occasion special for our teachers and we would like to commend our students for giving their full cooperation,” Barcinas said.
All 521 students on campus are participating in the week-long activities, he said.
Fifth grade teacher William Harwood said he appreciates the efforts of his students.
“I just found out that we have special refreshments today and I am going there now to see what they prepared for us. My kids yesterday gave me a thank you card which basically stated that they recognize my effort in teaching them every day. Hopefully, the students will begin to recognize that they’re here to learn and that we are really here for them. We want them to do their best in their studies,” Harwood told Variety.
Third graders Raegina Camacho and Caleb Sablan, said they’re excited to participate every year in the events of Teacher Appreciation Week.
“This is the only time we can truly say thankyou to them for all the lessons and learning that they provided for us every day,” they said.