LOS ANGELES – The late California calculus teacher whose story about pushing underachieving students to succeed was chronicled in the 1988 movie "Stand and Deliver" will be honored by the U.S. Postal Service.
A new 2016 stamp will feature Jaime Escalante, a Bolivian-born teacher who taught math at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles from 1974 to 1991.
During his tenure, Escalante built a first-class math program with high rates of students obtaining great marks on the Advance Placement calculus test.
“When students are expected to work hard, they will usually rise to the occasion, devote themselves to the task and do the work,” Escalante said in the past, according to the Sacramento Bee.
He is remembered for his philosophy that every student is capable of high achievement, regardless of their circumstances. He died on March 30, 2010 after a long battle with cancer.
Actor Edward James Olmos received an Academy Award nomination for his role in "Stand and Deliver."
The new stamp is a digital illustration of Escalante that has the appearance of a painting. It's based on a photograph taken of the late teacher in a classroom.
The U.S. Postal Service will also be issuing new stamps throughout the year that pay homage to "Star Trek," songstress Sarah Vaughan, child star Shirley Temple and civil rights leader Richard Allen.
“Our stamps articulate the American experience through miniature works of art,” said Acting Stamp Services Director Mary-Anne Penner in a statement. “Our diverse stamp topics for 2016 are sure to appeal to everyone, and with the New Year just around the corner, now is a perfect time to get started in stamp collecting. It’s an educational hobby the entire family can enjoy.”
A date when Escalante's stamp will be available has not been announced.
Based on reporting by the Associated Press.
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