It is great to see someone you know get good coverage in the paper.

And Al Bates certainly deserves it.

He worked long hours for more than three decades, making good money in the restaurant business. But Al Bates says there was always something more he wanted to accomplish.

Now he's getting his chance. He had to take a detour from his executive's job to a stint as a substitute janitor, but he got there.

Bates, who is 53 and has eight grandchildren, is preparing his classroom for the big day Monday — when he starts his new career as a fifth-grade teacher.

He achieved his dream job at the Galena Park school district's new Sam Houston Elementary by working as a janitor, and later in the warehouse, so he could study in his off hours and earn his alternative certification, an increasingly popular source of new teachers in Texas.

Like many of the pupils who'll show up Monday, Bates expects to have a case of jitters.

"It's new and different," he said as workers scurried to finish the school at 4101 E. Sam Houston Parkway North. "I'm sure, after a couple days and I'm into it, I'll be just fine. For me, it's a huge, huge change, career-wise."

Bates substituted around the district, including my school. We all knew he was seeking his certification, but not all of us knew his story.

I'm glad to see him get the sort of recognition he deserves, and know that his students are getting a fantastic individual as a teacher.

Welcome to the profession.

Posted by: Greg at 11:14 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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