Lance Allred was the first legally deaf player in the NBA. At almost seven feet tall, you might think he was blessed with a lot of natural talent, but his road to the NBA was not an easy one. Lance gives a lot of credit to Mrs. Aston, a 6th grade teacher who helped him look beyond his hearing impediment and use his natural grit and determination to succeed when others might easily quit.

He also has a message for teachers who may occasionally wonder if they are really making a difference the lives of the kids they teach.

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Music Attribution:

"60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: www.podingtonbear.com/

Meditation Impromptu 03 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100161

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

If you've seen the movie RUDY, from 1993, you know about Rudy Ruettiger whose grit, persistence, and determination has made him a household name. But before Rudy ever played football at Notre Dame, he had to get into Notre Dame.

In this episode of ESI Stories the real Rudy talks about a high school teacher who taught him the importance of EFFORT, a lesson that took him to Notre Dame, Hollywood, and beyond.

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Music Attribution:

"60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: www.podingtonbear.com/

Janet Hill teaches Computer Technology and Accounting classes at Antelope Union High, a small school of 250 students, near Yuma.

In this episode Janet talks about the kind of “customer service” good teachers need to provide to students, parents, and the community. She also shares a story about a student who reminds her a lot of Rudy (from the 1993 movie RUDY).

Janet thinks there is at least one Rudy in every classroom and it’s up to good teachers to find and nurture them.

Arthur Basurto teaches Automotive Technology at Sunnyside High School in Tucson. He often tells his students “if you want the magic, you need to come to school.”

Last year 15 of his students earned prestigious auto industry certifications along with their high school diplomas.

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Music Attribution:

"60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: www.podingtonbear.com/

Tariq Rasool works as an administrator in the Tucson Unified School District. He is a member of ESI’s Retire-to-Rehire Program and speaks candidly about the opportunity ESI gave him to extend his career and “finally get paid what he’s worth to run the village.” He also explains why he typically carries 100 $1 bills to school and makes change whenever he can.

For more ESI stories go to educationalservicesinc.com/

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Music Attribution:

"60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: http://www.podingtonbear.com/

Pat Bojorquez is a Computer Records Specialist who works for the Sunnyside Unified School District in Tucson, Arizona.

Over her 30 years at Sunnyside, she's learned that great leaders greet you with a smile every morning and have a way of making their organization feel like a family. For Pat, that means a lot, and as she puts it, she “wouldn’t leave this job for one that pays three times as much.” That’s how much the atmosphere and leaders at Sunnyside means to her.

For more ESI stories go to educationalservicesinc.com/

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Music Attribution:

"60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: http://www.podingtonbear.com/

Charles Klemp spends his summers in Wisconsin, but during the school year he works for ESI in Yuma, Arizona as part of the Subsource Program. In this episode, Charles talks about his experience working with children in the school district’s special education program, something that inspires him to get up every morning. He also shares some thoughts about how his district transitioned their substitute program to ESI and how that change has affected him.

For more ESI stories go to educationalservicesinc.com/

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Music Attribution:

"60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: http://www.podingtonbear.com/

Cole Nelson just finished an interesting year in which he started as a substitute teacher and transitioned to a permanent teaching position through ESI’s FlexTeach program.

Cole came to ESI after deciding to make a career change, a change that he hoped would allow him to make a difference in the lives of students. After one of those students told Cole that “he wouldn’t last a week, that no sub ever had,” he learned what it means to turn motivation into dedication.

For more ESI stories go to educationalservicesinc.com/

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Music Attribution:

"60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: http://www.podingtonbear.com/

"Lightning on a Blue Sky" by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/

Christopher Hamilton, who joined the ESI Subsource Program after moving to Tempe from Dallas, Texas to complete a Pastoral Internship at a Tempe Christian Church.

As a future religious leader, the Subsource Program has helped Christopher become “rooted in the community” and to “serve his neighbors.”

He tells us about the role ESI has played in helping him realize his dream.

For more ESI stories go to educationalservicesinc.com/

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Music Attribution:

"60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: http://www.podingtonbear.com/

ESI Stories. Jill Collins is just about to retire from her position as a maintenance dispatcher with the Scottsdale Unified School District. She speaks about her experience with ESI's RetireRehire program.

For more ESI stories go to https://educationalservicesinc.com/

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Music Attribution:

"60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: http://www.podingtonbear.com/

"Second Nature" by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Artist: http://audionautix.com/