On Tuesday, the top five percent of this year’s Coppell High School’s graduating class personally invited teachers to the annual Academic Recognition banquet.

The seniors gathered in the CHS library for a brief meeting, detailing the information about the banquet and the invitations. The students then divided into small groups and surprised their chosen teachers with a formal invitation.

A long-standing tradition at Coppell ISD organized and hosted by the Coppell Education Foundation, CHS seniors are granted the opportunity to honor a teacher who had a significant impact on their academic career and personal life.

The top 5 percent students received letters in the mail earlier this month in which they were asked to provide a list of three teachers that they would like to attend. Then, teachers were chosen amongst these lists in the order of the student’s rank.

“Teachers give us so much,” top five percent senior Vincent Lin said. “It’s one of our chances to to give back to them and show them that we really appreciate everything they’ve done for us and how they’ve really made a significant change in our lives.”

Many of the chosen teachers felt privileged to be recognized by one of their students.

One of them is Algebra I and Honors Precalculus teacher Dana DeLoach, who was chosen by senior Camrin Wong.

“It’s very exciting and I’ve only had it one other time, so it’s a really big honor,” DeLoach said. “[Wong] is so strong but so humble. That’s what I love about him. He would help anyone who needed it and was always so respectful.”

The banquet is on April 24 at the Courtyard Marriott Towne Place Suites in Grapevine.