“I thought that pursuing a career as a teacher would be a great way for me to contribute to society, and help the next generation and enlighten young minds,” said Lange, who is in his fifth year of teaching at Henry Elementary School in Rialto.

It wasn’t his plan to teach at Rialto, but when Lange got a job at Henry Elementary School, he was happy to be making a difference in his hometown.

“I think it’s better to teach where you grew up because I can relate to the students a little bit better,” said Lange. “I know that I can serve as an example and as a role model for students in this community to show that I came from the same community, and I was able to get an education and get a good successful career.” He said as a teacher, he wants to be a role model to students.

“I want to contribute to students who look just like me and had similar experiences, so as a teacher I’m able to advocate for education and be on the front lines in really working in the community and helping people,” Lange said. He chose special education “because students with special needs are often misunderstood and very underestimated. I think a lot of people don’t truly have an idea of what potential that special education students have, so I wanted to serve as somebody that could help reach those students reach that potential.”

Lange said a lot of special needs students have so much innate ability that his job as a teacher is to help those students realize that capability and get that capability out of them.

“I want to give students with special needs an opportunity,” Lange said. “I want to give them a chance at having a good education. The same chance that every student is entitled to.”

Lange, who has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from CSUSB, says going to college was always something in his plans and credits CSUSB for helping him not only as a student, but after graduation.

“CSUSB helped me personally and professionally. Obviously having a college degree did open a lot of doors and helped me find employment right when I got out of school, and it did prepare me with the necessary skills to contribute to a work environment,” Lange said.

“But personally, Cal State San Bernardino was able to benefit me because going to school in such a diverse environment was able to give me the skills, and help me grow as a person and understand different people, different cultures, different ideologies,” he said. “So I definitely think that my experience at Cal State San Bernardino helped me mature as a person and shape me into the man that I am today.”