Jonathan Grant High School food and nutrition teacher Sanjay Stephenson does not consider himself an emotional man. But two Thursdays ago, he could not hold back tears as his grade 10 students surprised him with a celebration of gratitude, honouring the positive impact he has had on their lives, inside and outside the classroom.

“When I saw the celebration and excitement on the students’ faces, it hit me really hard,” he told The Sunday Gleaner. “Everything starts to play back in my mind – students say, ‘Sir, you are the reason I come to school’, ‘You are the reason I am doing this subject’, ‘You’re the reason I keep pushing'.”

That moment solidified his belief that he was living his purpose.