When Tiffany Ragland was just eight years old, an act of kindness from her teacher set her on a life path toward becoming an educator. She says it motivated her to inspire the next generation of students—one act of goodness at a time.

Ragland, 47, recalls being in Grade 3 almost 25 years ago when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Reeling from the news, her older brother became involved with drugs, and then the police. At night, Ragland and her ailing mother would stay up all night wondering if he was okay. When Ragland was too tired and distracted to pay attention in class, her teacher, Jan Webb, known as “Mrs. Webb,” would carve out time to ask her how she was coping and listen to her worries. And when Ragland’s mother was in hospital receiving chemotherapy, Mrs. Webb invited Ragland to stay with her family. “It was above and beyond what a teacher would do.”

She was more than a teacher. Mrs. Webb was the role model for the type of teacher that Ragland wanted to become. “I learned early on that kids are at school for more than just math and science and reading and writing.”

Ragland took that lesson with her into her first teaching assignment in a high-needs school where some of the kids suffered from violence, abuse, homelessness and neglect. She knew that if she wanted her students to absorb her teaching, she had to provide them with more than homework. She needed to connect with them—just as Mrs. Webb had done with her.

After 16 years of teaching, Ragland became a counselor at Purefoy Elementary School in Frisco, Texas. She wanted to apply her belief that “no matter their background, every kid needs social and emotional support.”

WE’s resources help teachers like Ragland develop their students’ social and emotional learning skills by showing them how to understand and manage emotions, and feel and show empathy toward others. Over the last year, Ragland’s used WE’s educational resources, lesson plans and activities to enhance her school’s curriculum and encourage students to connect and broaden their understanding of world issues.

She is also showing her students that happiness can come from simply giving to others, by helping them lead the school’s service program, including food drives for the local Food Pantry and a school supplies drive for victims of Hurricane Harvey. “I’m kind of the eyes and the heart of what goes on.”

Ragland’s students have even taken over leadership of their service programs from the Parent Teacher Association. “It’s led a lot of them to start thinking beyond our school, about what they’re really passionate about.”

Ragland says that she has seen students graduate from high school and put into action the selflessness she tried to instill in them. One of those students even came back to build a buddy bench for the school playground, so children feeling alone have a special place to sit if they want someone to come talk to them. “That’s the piece that makes me happy.”