Tammie Fields

She says with support, students can thrive despite any challenges they may face. "They need people to lift them up, so that to me is a big part of why I do what I do," she says.

Deesi teaches third graders all subjects at Sorrento Elementary School in Sorrento.

Now, he says sharing his passion with students as a theater teacher is deeply personal. "It's those moments when I see the light go on in their eyes," he said.

Roth teaches fifth-graders math and science at Wekiva Elementary School in Longwood. It’s a career she adores.

“But I always tell them get some type of education, whether it’s going into the military, whether it’s going to take a trade.

When Governor Ron DeSantis signed the 2026-2027 budget into law, he approved $4 million in compensation for the descendants of the Groveland Four. Governor DeSantis pardoned the men on Jan. 11 of 2019 for crimes he said they did not commit.

"We can learn about science, math, English and it can help us to broaden our horizons and discover something we might be passionate about," the South Lake High School geometry teacher said.

“It was a 35-year journey,"she said."It had a lot of challenges, but I kept going and kept going until the day that dream was realized. And for me, it’s a calling."

Emily Hill's initial desire to work as a zoologist ended up inspiring her to go into teaching.

SANFORD, Fla. — Emily Hill is a chemistry teacher with a commanding presence, but her time working in a different career path is what led her straight to the classroom at Crooms Academy of Information Technology in Sanford.