I set out to find a few nice quotes about Mr. Thomas for this piece and was met with an overwhelming response full of many essay-length musings of his greatness. The following are even more accounts on the wonderful DThom:

“Derek Thomas is definitely my favorite person at Plant. I feel so lucky that I got to have him for two years as a teacher and then for my homeroom, even if it will only be for a month. He has this incredible effect on students where he made us WANT to improve, WANT to meet the high standards he held us up to, without even trying. He is both deeply and widely loved by everyone he taught and I know because of him I have become capable of writing and expressing things that I would have never been able to without his teaching. I feel so fortunate that I was able to go to Europe with him but now it feels like I will not only be losing a wonderful teacher but also a friend. He has shaped me as a student, as a writer, as a reader, and as a person and I will always be grateful to him for that. However, I have always thought more people need to experience the wonderfulness that is Derek Thomas….” —Lydia Kriseman

“Mr. Thomas…great teacher, better person” -Jack Carr

“Mr. Thomas is one of those teachers that you never forget. Even though I decided that junior year was gonna be my year to slack off, Mr. Thomas pushed me to reach my full potential in his class, and is one of the most fair and honest teachers I’ve ever had. I’m really gonna miss him.” –Avery Bilodeau

“Mr. Thomas inspires me. It is as simple as that. He inspires me to be a better writer– to be a better person. He inspires me to see the irony in situations, to know the deepest parts of life and to explore them, even though they may be the most difficult to unravel. Mr. Thomas taught me to respect others and to understand the power of humility. He taught me about loyalty, grace, humor, rebellion, compassion, complexity, truth, and life. I think the reason why Mr. Thomas has had such an impact on the school, my fellow students, and my life in particular is because he did not intend to teach us most of these things. These pieces of wisdom, and countless others, were shared through his actions. He is extremely intelligent and is a gifted writer, yet he is always relatable, humble, and ready to share his knowledge. That is why we all fell in love with Mr. Thomas. That is why he inspires me.” –Claire Anderson

“He did the impossible by making English class enjoyable.” –Tori Adams

“I will always remember Mr. Thomas. I’ve only seen few people have as considerable of an influence on so many people. He is, as I know him, warm, caring, nurturing, and brilliant. I, myself, didn’t know him well personally, but something about the way he looked at us made it feel like he truly cared about each of us. He was accessible and helpful always and I am forever grateful for all that he did for us as a teacher, a role model, and a friend.” –Olivia Kalpakis

“He’s the best teacher I’ve ever had and I hope my college professors are like him.” –Anders Carey

“Before his class I was extremely self conscious of my writing and would spend countless hours on papers trying to fit my thoughts into words. He helped me find confidence in my voice and writing style and form opinions and arguments I believed I was never capable of.” –Rachel Goding

“Mr. Thomas is the best teacher I’ve ever had. His passion for teaching is what makes his students the most successful in this school, and without him as a teacher I wouldn’t be as prepared for college and beyond as I am now.” –Leah Dosal

“Mr. Thomas gave me a new perspective on life. Thats the best way I can put it.” –Chad Wynne

“He was more of a friend than a teacher which is what made him so likable. He’s funny and kind and respects your opinion. I feel bad for the kids who will never be able to experience what it’s like to have a teacher like him because HAH you’re missing out.” –Rojeen Falasiri

“Mr.Thomas is not only an amazing and inspiring teacher but he is a unifying force for students, especially the class of 2015. He has taught us strength in writing and in each other. He is the kind of teacher you look forward to spending 5 hours a week with.” –Sam Fowler

“Mr.Thomas is a wonderful teacher and a phenomenal person. He’s the kind of teacher that makes everyone else around him better and believes in you no matter what. Plant is losing a great one and I will never forget DTHOM and I wish him nothing but success and happiness.” –Maddy Crawford

“Goodbyes require a certain amount of thought. If they’re too short they may give off the impression that one does not care about the person leaving. If they are too long the goodbye gets more painful and harder to say. So to you, Mr. Thomas, as briefly as I can say it– although you know how much it pains me to ignore elaboration– I say goodbye. I would never have been as happy to be alive and as consciously aware of who I am as a person if you weren’t there to guide me. Thanks Papa T, and may life continue to bring you the laughter and memorable experiences you have brought me” –Cameron McKenzie

“Any student that’s had him can define him as a once in a lifetime teacher, an easy choice for that hard question ‘who’s your favorite teacher’” –Chip Stern

“DThom has been an incredible blessing to me. He has transformed my writing and has transformed me as a person. He taught me never to simply accept things the way that they seem, but instead to question everything. His guidance reminded me that I am my own person, capable of making my own decisions, forming my own opinions. I will never again be afraid to express myself, to share my true voice in my writing. He has been my main motivation to get up and go to school for this past year because he makes sitting in a classroom worthwhile and makes me feel like my time is valuable. I refuse to say goodbye  because I know Plant has not seen the last of Derek Thomas. Instead I thank him for making high school a memory that I will look back on fondly for many years to come. I wish him all the joy in the world in his endeavors because he has certainly given it to this lost bunch of upperclassmen. We love you, DThom! See ya soon.” –MoRo