DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Gail David's daughter nominated her as an A+ Teacher. She wrote to Spectrum News 13 to say her mother, who teaches at Palm Terrace Elementary in Daytona Beach, has spent more than four decades pushing her students to excellence through her passion and work ethic.

David shares what inspired her to teach.

"One thing that I'll always remember is undergrad, going to Bethune Cookman College. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune said, 'You enter to learn but you depart to serve.' So, this is a service and I enjoy it," she said.

David has spent more than four decades teaching students and says of her students, "We do big things here. We maximize on students’ potential. We see things in them that they don't see within themselves."

Her students are encouraged to think out of the box and the sky is the limit.

Her daughter said that over the years David has helped students increase their overall test scores. She says her mother puts her students first in and outside of the classroom and even stays late to prepare their lessons.

David has not slowed down over the years either.

"Because they strive to meet the expectations that I set. That is why. Every time I see it. I don't know, I'm recharged. I'm energized to come back," she said. "There's so much negativity now surrounding our young people and youth. I think we need to blow the horn on those that are doing positive things."

David does plan to retire but not this year. 

"It's my calling," she said. "I see the growth and that's what learning is all about building lifelong learners. The expectations are … I set them high and the students strive to meet them so that is my motivation to keep coming back. There's nothing else I'd rather do and have ever wanted to do other than teach."