One of the most important lessons Cynthia Thompson has imparted to the hundreds of students she’s taught over her nearly five decades at Kenner’s Bonnabel High School is simple: You have to celebrate your wins.

But as she marks a milestone few educators reach — 50 years in the classroom — it’s Thompson’s students and colleagues who are celebrating her. Over the past three months, they have led a celebratory campaign they’re calling "50 Fridays for 50 Years," where a different school organization finds a creative way to honor Thompson every week. The balloons and photos and other mementos piling up in her classroom are a testament to her far-reaching impact.

Thompson has given the school much to celebrate. Known affectionately to many as “Mama T,” she has taught English at Bonnabel since

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