Hi, my name is Jon Magnus. I teach French at Wenatchee High School in Wenatchee, Washington. Eight years ago, at the age of thirty-five, I made a life decision to leave the business world and become a teacher. I have found true fulfillment and satisfaction in working with young people as we prepare together for the future.

Since entering the field of education I have become keenly aware of how large an impact a teacher can have on the lives of his/her students. I was amazed to discover the number of challenges confronting our youth that come from outside of the classroom. In my few short years of teaching I have had students confide in me about their experiences with family problems, physical and sexual abuse, substance abuse, pregnancy, gang involvement and general peer pressure, to name a few.

Four years ago, I gave a simple assignment to my students. I posed the questions "Who is your role model and how has he/she challenged you to become a better person?" To my surprise, many of the students had none. Much discussion was generated concerning the definition of a "role model" and what we can learn from these "exceptional" individuals. We came to the conclusion that role models are indicators. They are like signs along the road of life that provide guidance and direction. Much can be learned from them if we pay attention.

As an educator, I want to encourage students to be the best that they can be. I want to challenge them to have the courage to discover who they are and what they are capable of doing. I developed a list of relevant life questions and began to seek out and to interview individuals considered to be positive “role models” by societal standards. Invaluable information can be gleaned from uncovering the common denominators of their answers. I am using this information to write a book and to develop a curriculum that will provide students with key “life tools” that will enable them to build a better future.