Each quarter, students have the opportunity to nominate their teachers for the Make a Difference Awards. Students have varied opinions about the significance of the awards.

According to the PTO website, people should nominate “someone whose actions make a difference in your life or the life of your student at Hinsdale Central.” The quarterly winners are each rewarded with a Certificate of Appreciation and a Lettuce Entertain You gift certificate.

Devon Chenelle, junior, thinks that students generally appreciate the opportunity to show gratitude to their teachers. “I think people take it seriously, I’ve never heard of anyone making a joke out of it,” Chenelle said.

However, Carolina Paniagua, sophomore, does not completely agree. She believes that students only begin to take the awards seriously as upperclassmen. “Seniors will most likely take it more seriously than freshman and maybe sophomores, who don’t really care and don’t know their teachers too well,” Paniagua said.

According to Mr. Sean Kasak, physical education and health teacher, it is worth it to invest a couple minutes in nominating an inspiring teacher.

“I think it’s an important thing to do to bring recognition for the people who a lot of the times don’t get it. It’s really to honor people, whether they’re teachers or whether they’re aids or in student services of any other type, that really do go above and beyond and do things that really touch people in ways that go  beyond ‘A, B, C, D, and F’. It’s something that is really meaningful to the people who I know have won it, and even who are nominated for it. They’re really humbled by it,” Kasak said.