By Eric Hall
As a teacher, you sometimes veer off the beaten path—not because the curriculum told you to, but because your gut did.
One year, I started to notice a troubling trend: many of my students equated success with fame, followers, or a fat bank account. To them, success looked like a YouTuber with a million subscribers or someone throwing a ball—whether it’s football, baseball, or soccer—on TV.
Of course, not every student saw themselves on a field or in front of a camera. A few dreamed of becoming famous musicians or actors. One even swore they’d live in a mansion with a pet tiger, “just like in that one rap video.” Another said they’d be a “professional shopper” because influencers always had new clothes and countless unboxing videos. One student told me he wanted to be “so rich he’d never have to do dishes again.” To him, success meant hiring people to do the boring stuff.
I knew my students weren’t entirely to blame for these perspectives. This is simply the world they’re growing up in. But I also knew I could show them something different, a version of success that was quieter, deeper, and rooted in grit rather than glitz. So, I decided to show them that success has many faces—and most of them aren’t filtered on Instagram.
Eric Hall and his students have been featured on different national outlets, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show. While the accolades are nice, Eric will tell you his greatest rewards come in the form of high-fives in the hallway, students who finally “get it,” and the joy of watching kids realize they are capable of more than they ever imagined. If you’d like to reach out to Eric, feel free to contact him at [email protected].
