Molly Pollack taught English to middle and high school students for 40 years and retired this past fall. As a gift, her students at SAR Academy in Riverdale presented her with a book of 75 letters, about what she gave them as a teacher. A sample: “Dear Molly, you changed my life.”

Listen to this inspiring NPR story about a teacher who did away with desks, gave kids confidence, and insisted above all else that they always tell the truth.