Noting the passing of Jaime Escalante

Jaime Escalante pictured here with Edward James Olmos.

This photo was taken from http://www.losanjealous.com.

I was sad to find out today that Jaime Escalante passed away. Professor Escalante spent many years as a mathematics teacher in an inner-city school. He challenged students to tackle challenging mathermatics, including AP Calculus. What happened in his class was so special that it was captured in the movie Stand and Deliver; where Professor Escalante was portrayed by Edward James Olmos.

The movie and the story were highly motivating to me. Professor Escalante made a difference to numbers of young people. He challenged and encouraged them to excel. As a new teacher, I wanted to do the same thing. So, I am saddened to find this out. My prayers go out to his family.