It's been a tough year for educators. The high school district began on shaky ground with a potential teacher strike. The state budget and tight economy have continued to chip away at education. And the elementary school district is merging campuses. But even during cloudy school days, streaks of sunlight have broken through.

Those breakthroughs have come in the form of students who have overcome adversity to graduate. Educators who have dedicated decades to their chosen field. And volunteers who continue to find ways to work with what they have, no matter how long the odds.

So we decided to offer our readers a chance to learn more about these individuals by telling their stories on the pages of our newspaper.

Some of these individuals are educators, like retiring Branham High School athletic director Susie Morris and guidance counselor Sue Flowers, who were part of the high school's re-emergence in the district. There are Branham Principal Iris Berke and Westmont Principal Bob Serpa, who have made a lasting mark on their schools. Berke spent the past five years rebuilding Branham after it reopened in 1999. Serpa, a Del Mar graduate, has spent 31 years working in Campbell schools.

All four of these educators are retiring and permanently taking down their school calendars this year. They will be sadly missed but not forgotten when next fall rolls around.

Then there are teachers like Del Mar High School physics teacher Ray Jones, who's taught at Del Mar for almost 30 years. He was one of six educators honored for his teaching excellence by the Goldin Foundation. His passion and personal approach to teaching students has earned Del Mar the distinct honor of having the largest physics enrollment of any school in Santa Clara County.

These educators and their commitment are why students strive to excel in their studies and their lives.

These academicians have also helped high school students like Christopher Goldman and Ashley Vierra, who have overcome difficult situations and are now being recognized for their determination to turn themselves around and graduate. These students were awarded scholarships from the Kiwanis Club of Campbell to help finance their way through college.

There are also middle school students like seventh-grader Erick Castellanos, who came to the United States from El Salvador in 2000 and overcame a language barrier. Four years later he had an award-winning essay on cultural unity.

But these educators and students also count on the dedication of volunteers and parents like Campbell residents Ester and Robert Kwok, who have stepped up and rallied the community as the state continues to cut away at the districts' budgets. They represent parents who refuse to give up on the educational system and public schools.

When a district parcel tax failed, the tireless pair worked throughout the year on the Save Our Schools campaign. Now the Campbell Union School District board has acknowledged their efforts with its Volunteer of the Year award.

All these individuals and many more continue to look for ways to enrich are children's lives beyond the three R's. And they are now working harder than ever to maintain the quality of education that is critical to the well-being of future generations.

We have put all these people into one issue as the school year ends. We couldn't capture every special event or person, but we could certainly highlight many.

It also gives you a chance to meet some of these people again or maybe for the first time. And ironically, in some cases, perhaps for the last time. These are some of the people who help make our children who they are. And these are some of the children who will help frame our future.