13. How did Stan Become Stan? (Part 13 of 34)

It’s 2013, and Stan Tucker is standing at the front of his second-grade classroom doing roll call. It’s his first year teaching, and he’s still getting used to the joyful chaos the mornings bring.

Stan with his second grade class.

“OK, everyone, it’s just about book fair time,” he says. “I want ya’ll to go ahead and line up—”

Before Stan can finish, there is a tug at his shirt. A boy named Juan gathers his words.

“Mr. Tucker, um, my Mom didn’t have any extra money for books,” he says hesitantly. “So, should I just stay here?”

It was in that moment that Stan realized how important it was to eliminate financial barriers between a child and literacy. A seed had been planted inside his heart. However, he couldn’t possibly imagine where it would take him once it began to grow.