Martha Cothren, a social studies teacher at Joe T. Robinson High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, made a significant impact on her students and the community with a unique teaching method implemented on the first day of school in September 2005.

With the permission of the school superintendent, principal, and building supervisor, Cothren removed all the desks from her classroom. When her students arrived, they were surprised to find no desks and asked Cothren about their absence. She responded that they couldn’t have a desk until they could tell her how they earned the right to sit at one. Despite their guesses about grades or behavior, none of the students could provide the correct answer.

As the day progressed, the unusual situation attracted the attention of parents and local television news crews. However, it was not until the final period of the day that Cothren revealed the profound lesson behind the missing desks.

Cothren opened the classroom door to let in 27 U.S. Veterans, all in uniform, eac…