Saturday, April 12, 2008
Inspiring teacher is Community of Scholars Speaker
 Billy Staples, a former educator who received national acclaim for his ability to reach troubled inner-city youth, will present the Bower-Suhrheinrich College of Education and Human Services Community of Scholars Lecture on Monday, April 14.Inspired by the film “Dead Poets Society,” Staples left a corporate sales position to pursue a career in teaching. He eventually landed at Northeast Middle School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where his philosophy of "learning + fun = knowledge retention" produced measurable results that surprised parents, teaching peers, and administrators. In return for perfect attendance, good grades, and outstanding behavior, Staples took his students to meet celebrities, including Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, and Puff Daddy. He required his students to ask the celebrities a question about their experiences growing up. Staples was twice nominated for the Disney National Teacher of the Year Award. In 2003, CNN did a five-part feature on Staples and the students whose lives he had helped turn around. A meeting with Jack Canfield, author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, inspired Staples to help pay for the college education of any Bethlehem high school student serious about contributing to society. To date, his foundation has sent over 57 financially-challenged students to college without a single dropout. With the publication of his first book, Before the Glory: 20 Baseball Heroes Talk about Growing up and Turning Hard Times into Home Runs, Staples hopes to spread his message on education to a national audience. While in Evansville, Staples will address middle school students at Glenwood and Helfrich Park schools, and will speak to a USI audience at 4:30 p.m. in Mitchell Auditorium in the Health Professions Center. Following the presentation, he will sign copies of his book. For more information, contact Dr. Chuck Price, professor of science education, at 812/464-1939. |
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