March 30, 2006
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) – Jaime Escalante, one of the most famous public school teachers in the nation, will present Susquehanna University’s commencement address during ceremonies marking the close of the university’s 148th academic year on Sunday, May 14. Escalante is a Teachers Hall of Fame inductee and the subject of the highly acclaimed 1988 film, “Stand and Deliver,” starring Edward James Olmos. He will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Education degree at commencement.
Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Escalante came to the United States in 1964. Despite having taught physics and mathematics in his homeland for 14 years, Escalante had to start his education over from scratch when he arrived in the U.S. After moving to California, he had to learn the English language and earn American teaching credentials. He took menial jobs during the day and attended night classes at Pasadena City College in order to earn his degree.
In 1976, Escalante began teaching at Garfield High School in east Los Angeles, Calif., an area plagued by poverty, drugs, street gangs and violence. But by 1982, Escalante’s unique approach to teaching had transformed a group of barrio kids into mathematic whiz kids, capable of passing the Advanced Placement calculus exam.
That year, the Educational Testing Service, which administers the test, invalidated the scores and accused Escalante’s students of cheating on the exam. Most of the 18 pupils retook
the test and passed, turning Escalante into a national hero. By 1991, the number of Garfield students taking advanced placement examinations in math and other subjects had increased to 570.
Escalante’s math enrichment program was rivaled by only a handful of elite academies. His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Atlantic
Richfield Co. and the Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education. In addition to Garfield High School, Escalante also taught in the Sacramento, Calif., school system and at East Los Angeles Community College.
He became the subject of the book, Escalante: The Best Teacher in America, and the host of “Futures,” the most popular classroom program in the history of PBS. The program was awarded with more than 50 accolades including the George Foster Peabody Award, the highest honor in the broadcasting field. Escalante has received numerous honorary degrees and awards, including the United States Presidential Medal and the Andres Bello Award by the Organization of American States.
Escalante’s commencement address is part of SU’s 2005-2006 university theme, “Latin American Mosaic: Nations and Cultures/Mosaico Latinoamericano: Naciones y Culturas.” The concept of a year-long university theme presents opportunity for the Susquehanna community to develop a community dialogue around a central idea or question.
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Contact: Victoria Kidd
570-372-4119
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