She's been teaching since 1968. In fact, there's a good chance she taught you or someone you know.

Sunday, Gaye Kay from Johnson Elementary, celebrated 40 years of teaching, along with her upcoming retirement.

Hundreds of kids have sat in her classroom over the years, and today many of them came back to thank her.

Over the years, Kay made scrapbook pages for every class, and even kept newspaper clippings of former students.

"I usually write kids a letter at the end of the year and after I read them the letter then I tell them I want a letter back from them. Some of them, they just open their hearts up. I cry when I read some of them, I still cry if I read them," said Kay.

Kay has taught at Johnson Elementary for 30 years. She also worked at Carver Elementary, and before that, in the Iola, Houston, Angelton, and Waco school districts.