I woke up early this morning, and a curious question was rolling through my hyperactive mind: of all the people I know who have done the most good for the most significant number of people. I had a quick answer.

Sue Silverstein.

I met Sue six or seven years ago when I began working for the refugee students coming to Albany from some of the world’s most devastated and troubled parts. At the time, Sue was a teacher at Bishop Maginn High School in Albany. She is now the Art and Community Service teacher in Schenectady, N.Y.

Sue and I have little in some ways; we are brother and sister in other ways. We instantly became friends, and she became and remains my closest friend.

I couldn’t begin to list all of the children she has helped in her more than 20 years of teaching in the Catholic School system. Almost every student I met has stories to tell of how Sue saved them, taught them, helped them, got them into college, helped when they were sick, comforted them when they were troubled, fed them when they were hungry, clothed them when they were wearing sandals in the winter, taught them English, got them jobs, helped with college applications, brought them to doctors when they needed medicine, fed them breakfast when they were hungry, cheered them when they were sad, got them clothes when they had gone, soothed them when they were attacked and vilified by soulless politicians.

This is a partial list; I don’t have the time or space to complete it.  Sue and I have become close friends, and I cherish that. I wish every student had and has a Sue Silverstein in their lives.

Almost everyone she has ever taught has a Sue story about how she helped or positively shaped their lives. She is the teacher everyone should have, a person of great faith and endless kindness.

I’ve commissioned one of her art students to paint a portrait of Sue for $50. I’ll hang it on my wall as an inspiration to do good whenever possible and as often as possible. Sue is my ambassador to good, a reminder of the goodness that lies in human beings.