Written by Manny Sarduy
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Manny Sarduy is a student I taught over 45 years ago who lost a dear friend recently. Manny was looking through old high school photos of three of his teachers. I am one of those teachers and was so inspired by this narrative he shared with me. I believe it will touch the hearts of educators and all those who read it.
Here is Manny’s Journey with Mr. Cornell, Mr. Guido, and Ms. Rhoden. By the way I am Ms. Rhoden and here is Manny’s story.
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Dear Ms. Rhoden:
I lost a dear friend of mine this past week and looking for high school photos of him I stumbled on these three and felt compelled to write something about The Teachers Who Shaped my Life.
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Last night, I found myself flipping through the pages of my high school yearbook searching for pictures of Jimmy to share with his sisters. But as I turned the pages, something unexpected happened— I stumbled upon three pictures and three sets of words left by teachers who, at the time, had no idea how profoundly they would shape my life.
At 17, I couldn’t have fully understood the weight of their messages. I was simply a high school senior, on the cusp of graduation, carrying the dreams of my immigrant family and my own uncertain hopes for the future. But looking back now, I see it so clearly.
Only a few years earlier, I had arrived in the United States as a political refugee, escaping hatred, envy, and apathy. I left behind everything familiar—my home, my friends, the language I spoke, the life I knew. Suddenly, I was in a new country, learning a new language surrounded by a culture I didn’t fully understand. The road ahead felt uncertain, but I was determined to make something of myself.
Over the course of my years at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School (HML), I had more than 21 teachers. Many taught me facts, figures, and lessons from textbooks. But only three-Ms. Rhoden, Mr. Cornell, and Mr. Guido left behind words that would become guiding lights in my life. Words I still carry with me.
The Power of Words – Mr. Cornell
It was Mr. Cornell’s Advanced Placement (AP) English class that I learned the true power of literature—not just as a subject to study, but as a mirror to life itself. I vividly remember my essays and term papers. No matter the assignment, my writings always found their way way back to Jules Verne. When I was living in Spain, I devoured his books, and his storytelling changed the way I saw the world. He made me believe that adventure, possibility, and discovery were within reach.
Then came Hemingway—A Farewell to Arms, The Old Man and the Sea, and The Sun Also Rises. His words pulled me back to my childhood in Cuba and Spain, reminding me that life is filled with struggles, but also with opportunity. The Grapes of Wrath, Mody Dick, and To Kill a Mockingbird revealed the depts of human nature—the cruelty of discrimination, the poison of hatred, and the cost of greed. They taught me that those paths led only to darkness and that if I wanted to succeed, I had to follow the light.
Thinking back, it amazes me that I was taking AP English when just a few years earlier I had been learning English by reading The World Book Encyclopedia, and watching Sesame Street with my little sister, and listening intently just to grasp the language of Shakespeare. And yet, there I was writing, analyzing, and growing because Mr. Cornell believed in me.
A Teacher’s Legacy – Mr. Guido
French wasn’t just a class to me. It was a connection to my past. I had taken it as a required course in Spain, and when I arrived in the U.S. I continued it as an elective in junior high and high school. That was where I met Monsieur Guido! He was witty, charismatic, and full of life. His classes were never dull—he had a way of making French come alive.
He invited me to join his French Club, and to travel with his class to Louisiana and France. But every time, I had to say no. I had responsibilities—helping my parents build a future in this new country. We couldn’t afford the travel expenses, and there was always work at Sears as a part time employee to be done. Still, I held onto his words. I promised myself, someday!
Who could have known that decades later, I would find myself supporting the entire state of Louisiana while working at Starbucks? That I would walk down 52 floors of the Eiffel Tower with my daughter, fulfilling dreams I once thought were out of reach? Years after I graduated, I returned to HML to visit Mr. Guido but he was gone. Death had taken him from us. I remember him full of energy, full of laughter, and full of passion. And his words, written in my yearbook will stay with me forever.
“Manuelito, I hope you always keep your sense of humor and continue to speak the French you speak right now. All the best.”
The Teacher Who Changed My Life – Ms. Rhoden
The spring of 1980 was a time of chaos. The Miami riots erupted. The Mariel Boatlift began. At Sears Northside, where I worked, I saw the tragedy of the riots firsthand. At home, I followed the news of the Peruvian embassy in Havana, the brutal actions of Castro’s regime, and the boats leaving Miami to rescue families.
I remember speaking with my aunt Nena. She was going to Cuba to bring back 23 family members. She believed she’d be gone for a week at most. I wanted to go with her. Before making my decision, I went to see Ms. Rhoden. She didn’t tell me what to do. She didn’t give me easy answers. Instead, she asked me to think—not just with my heart, but with my mind. She spoke to me about the risks—the long waits, the uncertainty, and the possibility of not graduating. She never said don’t go. She simply guided me toward my own answer. I didn’t go.
Two months later, Nena returned—heartbroken and dejected. She had gone to rescue 23 family members but had only been allowed to bring back two. Had I gone, I wouldn’t have graduated. I would have lost my Sears job. My friends would have moved on. And may be—I would have never met the love of my life, my wife Maria, who also taught in Miami Dade County Schools for 36 years.
A Debt of Gratitude
The best teachers in life are more than just educators—they are architects of possibility, builders of confidence and champions of potential. They do not simply impart knowledge, they ignite curiosity, challenge the mind, and nurture the soul. They use encouraging phrases that echo long after the classroom doors close. They ask open-ended questions and sparks critical thinking and push students to see the world not just as it is but as it could be.
They create a supportive environment where learning feels less like an obligation and more like an adventure. They recognize that every student is different, and they personalize their instruction to honor those differences.
The greatest teachers don’t just teach a subject—they live it, breathe it and share it with a passion so infectious that it stays with their students for a lifetime. They actively listen, provide construction feedback and cultivate a sense of belonging. They build bridges where walls once stood, guiding students not just toward success, but toward self-discovery. All of this—and much more—were found in the words Ms. Rhoden left etched in my yearbook:
“You are a very good student…”
A simple sentence, yet one filled with belief, encouragement, and unspoken message that I was capable of more than I realized. From her I heard and learned phrases that would shape not only my education but my family, my leadership, and my 44-year career:
“I believe in you.”
“What do you think about this?”
“Can you explain that further?”
“Great job on ….”
“Let’s try this another way.”
“How can I help you understand this better?”
She was not just a teacher, she was a mentor, a guide, and a force of unwavering belief. She adapted her teaching methods to fit my learning style, recognizing that every student’s journey is unique. She saw us as individuals, no just names on a roster; and took the time to understand our dreams, our struggles, and our potential. She encouraged collaboration, teaching us that we could achieve more together than alone. She challenged us with thought-provoking questions, never handing us the answers but instead teaching us to find them ourselves. She saw mistakes not as failures but as opportunities for growth. She shared her own enthusiasm, making the subject mater come alive in ways that made us hungry to learn more.
She adjusted her lessons when needed, sensing when a student was lost and finding a new way to bring them back. She created a classroom where curiosity thrived, where asking questions was celebrated, and where taking risks wasn’t something to fear but something to embrace.
She inspired me to be my personal best—not just in school but in life. And the truth is, the lessons she taught me went far beyond textbooks and exams. They became the foundation for how I would lead, how I would mentor others, and how I would raise my own family. They became part of who I am.
The best teachers don’t just prepare you for a test. They prepare you for life. Ms. Rhoden did just that. And for that, I am forever grateful. The best teachers don’t just teach, they inspire. They challenge. They encourage. They guide. Ms. Rhoden believed in me, even when I was too talkative, too argumentative, and too playful. I may not have ben the best student, but I was a great listener. I respected my teachers. I admired them. And my curiosity fueled by encouragement opened doors I never knew existed.
I graduated ranked 80th out of 835 students in the Class of 1980. I may not have been at the very top, but I was prepared. I had learned lessons that extended far beyond textbooks. To Mr. Cornell and Mr. Guido in heaven—thank you. To Ms. Rhoden, who took an immigrant boy under her wing and showed him the way—thank you… mil gracias! Your words have never left me. And they never will.
Written by Manny Sarduy