THIELLS - Many teachers work for years never knowing whether the words they've said or the lessons they've taught were remembered past the end of each school year.

Occasionally an educator will find out, years later, that the struggling teen they tutored or the adolescent they listened to has succeeded beyond all expectation. It's one of the perks of being a teacher, several have said.

For the past three years, the North Rockland Teachers Association has awarded $1,000 scholarships to a dozen graduating teens based on a single essay: Describe a teacher who made a difference in your life.

This year, 47 students took the challenge. A committee of teachers chose a dozen winning essays, and the teens and teachers were honored Thursday at a reception with cake, coffee, hugs and the occasional tear or two.

"This is my favorite evening because it's so heartfelt and so honest," said Robin Brennan, president of the North Rockland teacher union, as she addressed nearly 50 teachers, parents and teens assembled for the ceremony in the high school library, a box of tissues prominent on the podium.

"We thank you for giving us your children to care for. You taught them to respect education and to respect their teachers. You have taught these children that they can trust us, and that's huge," she said.

As each teen read his or her winning essay, occasionally stealing a glance at a specific teacher or pausing to steady a shaking voice, the educators themselves grinned or stifled a quiet sob.

Here are excerpts from the winning essays:

Carolina Adames: "Ms. Carol Demaio (West Haverstraw Elementary School) pushed me to do my best and to reach for the impossible because, as she said, 'one day you'll get there.' (She) taught me that in life, what you want to succeed and reach will not come easy. Thanks to Ms. Demaio, I now know how to write, read and speak the English language properly. Knowledge and my education is what I will always have, something that cannot be taken away from me. (She) allowed me to have a voice, inside and outside her classroom."

Karina Challacombe: North Rockland High School teacher Diane Gasparrini "proves that an education is the most powerful entity a person can have and that first impressions can change everything. ... She taught me that it is not only about writing a powerful essay, but also about your ability to present yourself as an erudite and cultured individual."

Amanda Cloer: North Rockland High School teacher Denise Davey "taught me that there will always be someone willing to help you. In return, you should do the same for other people."

Nancy Fenner: North Rockland High School teacher Gary Armida "taught many life lessons: hard work was always the key to success ... life is not always going to be easy but you must never give up ... there are always going to be obstacles up ahead ... to do our best even though sometimes our best was not superior enough ... by learning from our mistakes it would teach us to gain the knowledge to take what we learned to improve our past errors."

Rebecca Goold: "For me, experiencing the death of my father at the age of 15 made me vulnerable and depressed at a time when I was most impressionable. In my most vulnerable state, (North Rockland High School teacher) Michael Giammarino ... taught me to be positive about all aspects of life and how to persevere through difficult and emotional times. ... He told me that I have a right to have a myriad of emotions, but being positive can only make me a stronger person. I do not know what life has in store for me, but because of Mr. Giammarino, I am able to approach every situation with a positive attitude."

John Grant: "The most valuable (lesson) I've ever been taught was given to me by my (now-retired Willow Grove Middle School) sixth-grade English teacher, Mrs. (Cherill) Geehan, on Sept. 12, 2001. ... The tragedy of (Sept. 11) struck terror, sadness and most of all confusion into a boy that wasn't ready to handle it. ... That day, Mrs. Geehan told everyone in the class to sit down, take out a piece of paper, and write, draw, fold or cut - whatever we wanted to do - to express the way we felt. ... I learned that day that when life gives you sadness, make it joy; when life gives you terror, don't ignore it but rather be courageous; and when life creates a situation that is dark and uncertain, never cease to search for the beauty and light of it all."

Cherie Grimm: "The best lesson I learned in (North Rockland High School teacher Deborah Jacoby's) class was that, no matter what, you can't change other people, you can only change yourself. The day she said this, we were discussing credit and why it is so important to pay all your bills on time. She stated that before you marry someone, you should know their spending habits ... because you can't change them ... this taught me that I can't change someone's personality or work habits, either in college, work or even life." Dayna McLaughlin: North Rockland High School teacher and cross country track coach Brian Diglio "taught me to always keep my priorities in order ... to concentrate on one thing at a time ... to focus on what I am doing at that exact moment and complete it with the best of my ability." Dara Morano: "Ice skating, horseback riding, dancing, swimming or academics ... came easily to me - until lacrosse. It was very hard for me to accept this. (North Rockland girl's lacrosse coach Andrew Guccione) would not give up on me and, more importantly, he wouldn't allow me to give up on myself. He continually supported my every effort, guiding me and sometimes even scolding me. ... Coach Guccione helped me to discover that many times in life, we have to readjust our expectations and redefine what makes us truly happy." Lauren Reilly: After my first month in (North Rockland High School teacher Diane) Gasparrini's English class, I quickly found out that skimming pages of novels and writing papers to less than my ability would not get me (the) ... grade I was used to. ... I now know that everything you do requires your full attention and motivation to truly succeed. Coasting through anything will get you nowhere in life. ... I am now a firm believer that when all of your effort is concentrated into something you are passionate about, there is no one challenge too great to overcome." Albanerys Tavarez: "I was the kind of student who didn't study at all. (North Rockland High School ESL teacher Francisco Ovalles) really motivated me when I heard him say: "We are in a boat, and the one who doesn't want to sink needs to get on. Otherwise you are going to drown." After that day, I started to study hard. Every worksheet that he gave me I did, even though it was in English and I had to struggle to understand it. Mr. Ovalles taught me how to write an excellent essay, and his words gave me the strength to keep up my work." Michael Upman: "One lesson (North Rockland teacher Tim Ahlee) taught me was that when you first start a business, you may start out small, but with hard work and dedication, you can grow your business into a prosperous corporation. ... I will always remember that it takes patience and time to allow a business to grow. I will also remembered that hard work pays off and that every individual has the ability to make a difference in the world."