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Columbia Teacher To Meet The President

Columbia High School's Ed Chambers was chosen to meet the President of the United States.
On Tuesday he will join a host of educators at the White House for National Teacher Appreciation Day.
News 19 spoke with Chambers about the once in a lifetime opportunity.

Columbia, SC (WLTX) – Ed Chambers is on his way to D.C. to meet the President.

"I let out this scream like, 'I'm going to the White House!’" Chambers said.

The Columbia High School educator was chosen for his work with Teach for America, an organization Chambers has been a part of for years. One that has taken him not only across the United States, but around the world from China to India to Tokyo and back.

"Teachers in my mind are just another form of national security because if we don't do our jobs then our world goes wrong and if we can show them the importance of being more than they can ever imagine, I do think we help keep our nation secure,” Chambers said.

And he hopes to use this experience as another opportunity to inspire his students.

"To be able to say to a kid, 'You can really become a president.’ And it's no longer words. There's somebody. There's a visual of somebody they can actually see who has done it who has some melanin in his skin," he said.

And although Chambers said he will cherish this moment forever, he also said, "It's those small victories every day that we really have to count up and we really have to hold on to because we really don't know those lives that we really are touching and who will come to replace us.”

Teacher Appreciation Week starts Monday and ends Friday. If there's a teacher that you appreciate please let us know by posting on Facebook and by tweeting at us on Twitter.

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