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Elder colors paper leaves for the Life Skills tree. When they finish coloring, students will write skills they want to master on the leaves. Elissa Nadworny/NPR hide caption

Tia Tsosie Begay is a fourth-grade teacher at a small public school on the outskirts of Tucson, Ariz. Elissa Nadworny/NPR hide caption

Haley on the Willamette River. David P. Gilkey/NPR hide caption

Deborah Ball introduces a math problem to students at the Mathematics Teaching and Learning to Teach seminar at the University of Michigan. Brian Powers/University of Michigan hide caption

Molly Pollak pages through a book of letters from her former students. Alex Welsh for NPR hide caption

Ainissa Ramirez LA Johnson/NPR hide caption

Cooper is known as the Swim Whisperer. He's been teaching swimming full-time since 1995. Elissa Nadworny/NPR hide caption

Mathias "Spider" Schergen in his art room at Jenner Elementary Academy of the Arts in Chicago. Elissa Nadworny/NPR hide caption

Principal Ali Shalalha stands at the entrance of the high school. Though the school has closed for summer, it's filled with students who are studying for exams. Tanya Habjouqa for NPR hide caption

Whaley walks his students back to class from the library. Christopher Gregory for NPR hide caption

Sam Venable teaches music at Langston Hughes Elementary in New Orleans. LA Johnson/NPR hide caption

Rodney Carey (left) with students at the Youth Empowerment Project in New Orleans. LA Johnson/NPR hide caption

"One of my biggest goals as a sex educator is to be sex-positive," Solow explains. Christopher Gregory for NPR hide caption