Don Bott worked as a high school educator from 1985 until 2026. He taught every imaginable English class, from intervention to honors/Advanced Placement. He taught classes made up exclusively of English learners, and he frequently took on large numbers of students with IEPs. He also advised various campus publications, including the nationally award-winning Stagg Line newspaper for 27 years. in 2002 he was named National Journalism Teacher of the Year. He has presented to many audiences, large and small, for more than three decades. In his final years he worked as an instructional coach, where his goal was to help young teachers find their purpose and passion. His book, “40 Years, 40 Stories,” taps into his many experiences in education. Through the 40 short pieces, he illustrates the value of being positive, open-minded and oriented toward a growth mindset. Over the years Don has spoken to many audiences — students and teachers and teachers in training — on a wide variety of topics. He is eager to speak to any group of educators with the hope of lighting a fire.