In this episode, host Ken Futernick sits down with Bruce Wasser, a former history teacher whose life story is as inspiring as his teaching career. Bruce shares his poignant journey from being a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War to becoming a beloved educator who had a profound impact on his students. Listen as Bruce recounts the pivotal moments that shaped his life, including the influence of his high school basketball coach and the challenges he faced in standing up for his beliefs. The episode also features Julia Damer, a former student of Bruce's, who shares her experiences in his classroom and the lasting impact he had on her life. The conversation highlights the reciprocal influence between teachers and students, as well as the enduring power of education to inspire change.

This story starts with a bag of shoes that helped a school community heal after the tragic deaths of two students. That story blossomed into a unique project called the “Shoe Club” that fosters empathy and breaks barriers in a Michigan middle school. The founder of the club and guest on this episode is Matt Hamilton, a 2025 Horace Mann and NEA Award-winning teacher from East Jordan Public Schools in Michigan.

The Club has gotten national attention with inscribed shoe donations from the likes of Jane Goodall, Michael Jordan, moon-walking astronaut Chalie Duke, Dolly Parton, and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

America’s culture wars are driving great teachers out of the classroom, exacerbating a shortage that has reached critical levels in most states. The story of Willie Carver, Kentucky's Teacher of the Year for 2022, is especially tragic. He was honored at the White House along with 49 other outstanding teachers this past spring. He was beloved by his students and colleagues. But Carver was also an openly gay teacher and became weary (and fearful) of the unrelenting hostility toward LGBTQ educators and students at his school.

In this episode, Carver explains the conditions that led to his painful decision to leave Montgomery County High School. Carver said he became a teacher so that every student could believe in their own worth and potential, a mission his students say he successfully achieved and one he still hopes to promote outside of the classroom.