Jaime Escalante

His fascinating, unforgettable and inspirational story gives a vivid picture of genius in the teaching profession. The subject of the book "Escalante: The Best Teacher in America," Escalante in person is as vital, genuine and challenging as he is to his student's everyday. An immigrant from Bolivia, Escalante has become a folk hero for his success-so much so, in fact, that a movie has been made about him, "Stand and Deliver," one of 1988's most acclaimed films. In 1999 he was officially inducted into the Teachers Hall of Fame.

"I'm just a math teacher," protests Escalante. "I'm just helping my students achieve their highest degree of personal development." But his persistent, challenging and highly inspiring teaching methods have made his school-plagued by poor funding, constant violence, and atrocious working conditions-the seventh ranked school in this country in calculus. "I do not believe in the gifted," says Escalante. "If they have ganas (Spanish for desire), I can make them do it." Challenging students whom previously had little encouragement to aim high with their lives; Escalante has helped wonderful things happen at Garfield High School. His students-assisted by Escalante's gentle coercion, deft showmanship, and sheer force-push themselves to achieve at levels they never imagined possible. He motivates them to perform through a combination of factors from strict study requirements to discussing career possibilities.

It has been the best thing that ever happened to many of these kids, and one that has made them reach beyond what they know to build a future of achievement for themselves. Escalante has shown that one teacher can make a big difference in a lot of lives. His energy, wit, caring and drive have joined with a love for teaching to make outstanding performance in calculus a reachable, desirable goal. "Come on, Johnny," actor Edward Olmos said, playing Escalante in "Stand in Deliver." "Come on, you can do it. It's easy." And oddly enough, when Escalante teaches, it is easy.

Escalante taught math and physics in Bolivia for 11 years until 1964, when he immigrated to the US. After receiving an AA degree in electronics, he worked with Burroughs Corporation while in the US; Escalante took a considerable cut in pay to become a math teacher at Garfield in 1974.

Extraordinary, challenging, inspiring and compelling, Escalante is, in his words, "a math teacher." But this is a true American hero of education-one whose investment in today's youth will be reaping rewards for all of us in the decades ahead.