Sunney Tesch paused during a social studies lesson Tuesday to savor the wisdom of her favorite teacher.

“She’s nice, and when I have problems with my friends, she helps me understand how to get over those,” said Tesch, a fourth-grader at Sunflower School in Lawrence.

On National Teacher Day, Tesch was full of praise for one of the her best, Liz Hendrix.

Hendrix, who taught Tesch last year in third grade and again this year when Tesch became a fourth-grader, said she was honored to be among Tesch’s top choices. And, she said, it meant more coming on a day set aside to express appreciation for educators.

“There are many teachers doing an excellent job,” Hendrix said.

National Teacher Day, sponsored by the National Education Assn., was first celebrated in 1953 at the urging of Eleanor Roosevelt. NEA has consistently observed the day since 1980.

“Public education is important,” Hendrix said. “I’m a firm believer that that’s what holds our country together.”

Supt. Randy Weseman said it was appropriate for the nation to ponder lasting contributions teachers make in lives of young Americans. There are about 900 certified educators in the Lawrence public school district.

“We have a wonderful cadre of very special people, and we appreciate them very much,” he said.

He said substitute teachers  daily there are at least 60 in Lawrence schools  are another essential ingredient.

“It’s very important we have a good quality pool of substitutes,” he said.

In Cameron Hershiser’s mind, nobody can take the place of Marcia McPhail, the librarian at South Junior High School.

“She’s really nice and real easy to work with,” said Hershiser, who got to know McPhail while tinkering with South’s Web site.

Use of humor and a clear commitment to students are qualities that came up repeatedly when discussing favorite teachers.

South eighth-grader Tara Hammer said her American history teacher, Kyle Stucky, was her No. 1 choice. She said she appreciated his ability to draw students into history lessons. Not all teachers have that gift, she said. But it’s an important skill because not all history jumps off the printed page, she said.

“Mr. Stucky makes it fun,” Hammer said. “He sometimes plays games. He makes jokes.”

Jesse McGee, who is two weeks from graduating from Free State High School, said she encountered her best teacher while at Central Junior High School. She placed a laurel on the head of Michel Loomis, an English teacher at Central.

“She was really open with her students and a lot of fun,” McGee said. “She was never boring  ever.”

Another Free State student, Courtney Vescio, said English teacher Phyllis Copt had an amazing ability to hook students on reading. Vescio had Copt for a high school 20th century literature class.

“I’m not a big reader,” Vescio said, “but she moved us. She really loves English, and it shows when she teaches. She devotes a lot of time to her class.”