These students surprised their favorite teacher with an incredibly meaningful gift.
Everyone has a story about an educator that shaped their life in an important way.
Think about your favorite teacher in high school. Was is the English instructor who wrote meticulous notes in the margins of your essays? The math teacher who tutored you in geometry every Thursday at lunch? The history teacher who was so passionate about their subject they'd show up to class dressed as important historical figures?
For the students at Valley Christian High School in Arizona, that person was Joe Lara, a Spanish teacher who some students saw not just as an instructor, but a father figure.
"Throughout the year Mr. Lara has been such a great blessing to me," one student wrote on Instagram. "He sees potential in all of his students, and he has seen things in me that I haven’t even seen in myself. He’s believed in me at times when I didn’t believe in myself."
When Lara announced that he was leaving the school, his students knew they had to do something special to thank him for everything he'd done for them.
It's always difficult when a teacher you love leaves. And sometimes, when you think about them years later, you wish you'd done something to show them just how much you cared. Lara's students? They won't have that problem. On his last day (which also happened to be his birthday!) they gave him a surprise he'll never forget. One that's so big even Michael Jordan's brand tweeted about it.
Have you guessed what the surprise was yet? If you thought "A pair of pristine Air Jordans," you're absolutely right! According to his students, Lara has wanted a pair of the shoes for over a decade. But considering how expensive the shoes are (especially in comparison to how much teachers typically make) he could never justify the expense. So everyone chipped in to buy them as a way of saying "thank you." The heartwarming moment was captured on video and has now been viewed millions of times.
Are you ready for this? (Yes, I'm absolutely referencing Jock Jams. Why don't you hit the play button on this baby before you watch the video below. Really, get yourself pumped up!)
It's hard to tell who's happiest here — the teacher who's unwrapping a pair of 2012 retro Jordans, or the students anxiously waiting for Lara's reaction.
"I need scissors," Lara says as he's unwrapping the gift.
"No you don't," students scream back. Then Lara uncovers the box.
"No way," he exclaims shortly before being overcome with emotion. "You didn't!"
You know what, though? They absolutely did. And when he sees those shoes for the first time, the entire room descends into howls, with Lara leading the noise.
And they weren't the only ones feeling it.
This story is sweet, but it's also an important reminder of the value teachers bring.
Our favorite teachers don't just recite from a textbook. They don't just prepare us for tests. They care, they listen, and they project their passion. They mentor, they counsel, and they encourage us to become the adults we want to be. They give us the tools to make our dreams come true. And yet, too often, they're undervalued. In recent weeks, teachers have walked out of their classrooms to protest that they don't have the resources to do their jobs.
As one Oklahoma educator pointed out in a viral Facebook post, teachers don't have enough books, their classes are too large, and sometimes the low pay can force qualified teachers to leave the profession.
Teachers like Lara are rare, but they shouldn't be. And no one will disagree that kids deserve the very best. That's why we must all support educators. Because the difference they make can't be measured or quantified. And hey, if we get a video like this every day, you won't find me complaining.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids… 
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie? 
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."