John Rolison

Tell us why you became a teacher

I always wanted to teach and Coach, my teachers and Coaches impacted my life for the positive when I needed it most in high school. I wanted to give back in the same way. I completed my degree, resigned from my outside sales position at General Electric and began teaching ESE and Special Needs over 25 years ago. It has been life changing, impacting so many lives over the years, especially helping raise a family with my wife who also teaches.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

There have been so many from helping young men and women work to achieve athletic scholarships to just having students walk across the stage and graduate. I feel like my most memorable has to be working with Brandon in my Special Needs class who has graduated and now in his 30s in independent living and working. He is active in The Special Olympics to this day. We still go out to lunch and dinner together. He is a beautiful person who just loves people for what they are, I am Blessed!

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would plan a much needed family vacation, I work a night job when not coaching a sport as a bartender. A nice family vacation is deserved by both of us, spending some quality time together.