We, like you, read some stories in The EAGLE that we can’t stop thinking about because they are so touching or we know how much they mean to the community.

Last week’s news that Lafayette Upper Elementary School special education teacher Whitney Drewrey is one of four finalists for the Mississippi Teacher of the Year award given annually is one of those stories.

EAGLE staff writer Anna Gibbs did a fine job exploring what makes Drewrey tick.

We heard about her love for helping children, especially those with special needs. We heard about how Drewrey gets creative, like bringing service dogs from Lafayette County’s Wildrose Kennels to work with students.

She has children read to the dogs to improve reading fluency and social and functional skills. They learn to care for, train and communicate with the dogs.

We heard that Drewrey values the staff that helps her make it happen in the classroom, calling them her “dream team.”

It’s the kind of story that lingers in a wonderful way.

It’s the kind of story that makes us proud to call Lafayette County home.

We don’t know if Drewrey will win Mississippi Teacher of the Year or not. We do know that she’s deserving. We also know that she, students, parents, and Lafayette County schools are already the winners in this story.