I get chills when I read the comments about Mine That Bird’s improbable victory in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

His breeder said, “I just didn’t think he was a good enough horse.”

His trainer said, “To be honest, I didn’t have any real feeling I could win the Derby.”

Neither did anyone else. No one was talking about Mine That Bird before he won.

“An impossible result here,” the announcer yelled when Mine That Bird finished 6¾ lengths ahead.

The odds were 50-1. This horse hadn’t won a race since October and came in last in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. When Mine That Bird arrived in Kentucky after a 21-hour trailer ride, experts wondered aloud why he’d made the trip. Even with a Derby-proven jockey, experts dismissed his chances.

But jockey Calvin Borel didn’t let those low expectations change how he treated his horse or how he approached the race. “I rode him like he was a good horse,” Borel said afterward.

Just like Borel, teachers in the Fayette County Public Schools are working every day to help kids beat the odds. How appropriate that Saturday’s Run for the Roses coincided with the start of Teacher Appreciation Week. Just like Borel, our dedicated teachers see past the barriers and help our students achieve incredible feats.

Sunday afternoon, seniors from our five high schools took the opportunity to thank their most influential educators for the difference they’ve made in their lives during our annual FAME Awards ceremony. Although each senior shared a unique story, there were common threads. The teachers, counselors, social workers and other educators who had made the biggest impact were those who took the time to establish relationships with the students, those who cared about them as individuals, those who not only taught the core content at high levels, but also helped them grow as learners and as people. Student after student thanked their teachers for setting high expectations, demanding excellence, refusing to accept excuses and demonstrating concern for their future.

As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week and reflect on the amazing Derby victory, please take a moment to thank all those excellent teachers who refuse to let anything keep our kids from the winners circle.