Putting pen to paper almost seems like a lost art.
But for the teachers nominated for the LEF Teacher Awards, that's exactly what got them where they are today.
Those letters, for some, mean more than actually winning the contest.
Sara Cook says all she wants as a teacher is to make a difference.
"I want when my kids leave me to be independent as much as they can be."
The Special Education Teacher at Prairie Elementary says she has somewhat of an advantage with her students when it comes to reaching that goal.
"When my kids come to me I get them until fifth grade. I kind of have an advantage and we get to build on what we worked on the previous year."
But no matter how long she's with her kids, a sense of joy always comes over her when they finally grasp a concept they've been working on for months and some even years.
"We might have been working on something for weeks and all of a sudden it clicks," she says. "The look on their face and that smile, that's what we all look forward to."
Sara might be the one nominated for the Lafayette Education Foundation Award, but she says she can't do it alone.
She, like all of the others, are part of a team.
And it's that team that helps to keep pushing her students forward.
The Lafayette Education Foundation Teacher Awards ceremony takes place Wednesday, January 29 at the Heymann Performing Arts Center.
The cost to attend is five dollars for students and teachers and ten for all other guests.
Tickets can be purchased at the Heymann Center box office or through Ticketmaster .