Do you remember your students from many years ago?

Hi all! I graduated in 2017 and starting 2025, I am beginning my Bachelor of Education. I had an English teacher in my last few years of high school who really stood out to me.

He was always excited to read my assignments and watch my speeches. I was animating in high school and he was one of the teachers who really pushed me to pursue this passion and wanted me to succeed. He believed in me more than my own family! Lol. Long story short, I continued animating and got very creatively burn out and quit.

I had the idea of being an art teacher for maybe a decade, and I’ve decided now is the time to pursue it. I really want to get in contact with my English teacher and thank him and maybe ask for some career guidance, but I don’t even know if he’d remember me quite frankly. He inspired me and I am pretty regularly thinking back to my conversations with him. I regret not being more thankful towards him when I graduated, but I was awkward as a teenager. Do you remember students you had from 7/8 years ago? Is it a little out of line to try and find them and get in contact? I’m pretty certain he works at the same school still.

Thank you all!

Edit:

You guys are amazing!! I didn’t expect so many responses but I promise I read them all. I will definitely be reaching out to him to show my appreciation. Thanks guys!