The Daily News would like to extend its congratulations to Pearl River Community College electronics instructor Vic Cerniglia, for being named the Electronics Technicians Association Educator of the Year. Cerniglia was born and raised in Bogalusa, and still has family and lots of friends here. He was nominated by a former PRCC graduate and selected from a national pool of educators.

While we’re at it we’ll also extend our congratulations to the Bogalusa City Schools Teachers of the Year: Melondy Hughes for Byrd Avenue, Mary May for Central Elementary, Ivy Lewis for Bogalusa Middle School, and 1st Sgt. Jack Rogers for Bogalusa High School. It’s not only college teachers that have an influence on those they teach. And it could be said that the earlier you exert your positive influence, the better.

Did you have a beloved teacher, who taught you as much about life as anything, who taught you to love your life? Did any of your teachers influence what you do or did for a living? Did your teachers tell long rambling, fascinating stories of their prior exploits? Did you feel a strong bond with any of them?

Teachers really do impact our future, because they prepare the generations that come after us. Let’s give all of our educators a hand.