A St. Petersburg teacher who is retiring at the end of this school year has spent 39 out of 40 years teaching in the same classroom. Debbie Panico, a kindergarten teacher at Lakeview Fundamental Elementary School, is described as positive, calm and caring. The school held a surprise retirement celebration for her on Friday with current and former student speakers. Sarah Sanders, a former student from 2003, was at the celebration. Sanders and Panico have kept in contact over the years, with Panico inspiring Sanders to become a kindergarten teacher herself, Pinellas County Schools shared in a news release. "She's caring, loving and thoughtful. I loved kindergarten because of her, and I loved school because of her," Sanders said. Sanders said she even still has one of Panico's "Good Girl" student awards. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/education/st-pete-kindergarten-teacher-retiring/67-1bdb4a8d-fa62-4c04-aca0-d49d7a6f86cf ►Subscribe: https://on.wtsp.com/youtube ►Website: https://www.wtsp.com/ ►Facebook: https://facebook.com/10TampaBay ►X: https://twitter.com/10TampaBay