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Jennifer Garner paid tribute to two of her most cherished childhood educators in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week
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“Never miss an opportunity to thank a teacher who shaped you,” the actress wrote on Instagram, before honoring her former elementary-school librarian, Annyce McCann, and dance teacher, Nina Denton Pasinetti
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Garner previously showed her appreciation for her own children’s teachers in a touching note on social media last June
Jennifer Garner is paying tribute to two very special women who helped “shaped” her in childhood.
On Tuesday, May 6, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, the actress shared a heartfelt post to Instagram honoring her former elementary-school librarian and dance teacher.
“Never miss an opportunity to thank a teacher who shaped you. Teaching is hard! I’m so lucky to have been taught by my lifelong friend Annyce McCann. And my lifelong mentor Nina Denton Pasinetti,” Garner, 53, captioned photos of herself with each woman.
“Thank you, Mom McCann and Ms. D, I love you. ♥️,” she concluded.
Alongside a photo montage of childhood dance moments, Garner recalled working with ballet teacher Denton while growing up in West Virginia, saying that she “shaped my idea of integrity,” “discipline” and “connection to my own body and what athleticism is.”
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Jennifer Garner/Instagram
Jennifer Garner (top) with Nina Denton Pasinetti
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“And of course, that’s totally changed who I am in my career, because I’m not afraid of physicality,” she continued.
Another slide featured a video of Garner giving props to her “favorite teacher ever,” librarian McCann, whom the actress “loved so much I called her Mom McCann.”
“She totally understood my love of stories and books, and fed me one book after another,” continued the 13 Going on 30 star. “She let me help in the library during lunch and after school and during breaks, and she let me help order new books and work the card catalog.”
“And she even published a little story that I had written.” Garner said. “She published it herself, made it its own card for the card catalog and gave it a spot on the shelf in the school library.”
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Jennifer Garner/Instagram
Jennifer Garner’s elementary-school librarian, Annyce “Mom” McCann
Related: Easy Ways to Show Teachers Appreciation — Straight from Teachers Themselves
The actress also shared a video of McCann herself, showing off the yarn-bounded copy of her former student’s book that she called a “special” one, “because the author is Jennifer Garner, who wrote this book she she was in first grade.”
“I was her school librarian when she decided to write T. Bear’s Trip to Mars,” McCann continued of the story before going on to read it while showcasing its adorable handmade, typed-out pages, complete with pasted-in photos.
Garner is a longtime supporter of educators — especially those who have impacted her life and the lives of those she loves, like her three children, Violet, 19, Seraphina, 16, and Samuel, 13.
In a sweet post on Instagram last June, the actress penned a note to her kids’ teachers, thanking them for the huge part they had to play in raising her kids. Garner shared screenshots of a note written on her phone, beginning by thanking teachers for “caring about my children with me.”
“A little gratitude for our wonderful family elementary school at the end of 13 years together applies to all educators: thank you for doing what you do. ♥️,” she wrote in the caption. “And congratulations to all the mamas out there with kids moving from one phase to the next. ♥️♥️”
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