I'm Kristen Corona Jacques and I graduated from Concord High School in 1986.

I had the honor of having Christa as a teacher, and we had, a really nice class.

It it was just very, very fun.

Very typical.

It was a nice place to be.

I had Mrs. McAuliffe for law.

Like it was always great to go to her class.

She was engaging.

She made her lessons, as creative and hands on as possible.

And the the amount of care she showed each person that brought together this wonderful teacher.

All along the way.

We, were involved in her journey, and she came back a couple of times, actually, to share what she had been, learning and some for some photo ops for magazines, and that was great.

When she came back, it was always this positive statement of your dreams never die.

You go after what you want.

You're always evolving as a person.

And her big message was that she has, confidence and faith in all of us to achieve what we want.

And this year is a real special year for you because it's your last year in high school, but it's your beginning for what you're going to be doing in life, and you're going to be looking at all sorts of career opportunities.

You're gonna be looking at colleges and you're going to say, what am I going to do?

What do I want to do?

Reach for it.

You know, go push yourself as far as you can.

Because if I can get this far, you know, you can do it too.

And I really hope you have a wonderful year.

And I'm going to miss all of you.

Thanks a lot.

But she was ours.

And, she was so special to us.

And she was probably exciting for other teachers and other students.

But, you know, to us, she was ours.

We do have a lot from our class that are teachers and I know a couple went into teaching because of her.

I wouldn't into teaching because of love of kids, but really took with me from her meeting each child where they are and helping them grow and not letting the quiet child in the back just sit there.

Like reaching everyone.

And that's exactly what she did.

Kris Jacques is a dedicated educator and passionate advocate for children's growth and development.

Born and raised in Concord, Kris graduated from Concord High School in 1986 and was a student of Christa's.

She is committed to fostering self-confidence and a love of learning in her students.

Kris, welcome.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

Today we gather to remember a remarkable woman, a teacher who not only shaped the minds, but also touched hearts.

Christa McAuliffe.

As we unveil this statue in her honor.

We are reminded of the profound impact she had on all who are fortunate to be her students.

I like the idea that she's being remembered and she's being remembered because of her.

Her traits and her qualities.

But the fact that she was an educator and as a statue of an educator could potentially bring more enthusiasm and desire to go into the field.

I mean, you give a lot, but you get so much from each child, that it would be great if it sprouted some enthusiasm for people to go into teaching and education.

Christa McAuliffe inspired my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Jacques, to be the best teacher she could be.

And in return, Mrs. Jacques inspired me.

Mrs. Jacques told me that Christ McAuliffe was a good teacher who's extremely talented at explaining difficult topics.

She was a kind person with a cheerful personality, the kind of person you want to be around.

She wants you to embrace life.

Not to settle, but to continue working for what makes you better, to continue growing as a person all the time.

But to always be evolving and bettering yourself.

To learn more and watch additional video, go to nhpbs.org/christa