I was 11 years old when my Dad's theater showed To Sir with Love for the first time. The first time seeing it sparked a dream of being a teacher like Sidney Poitier.

I made it happen, for 16 years that haven't lost their luster even after I found another dream job. Today theose occupations converge, as the Great American Teach-In is celebrated at schools across the nation. Professionals from all kinds of careers will donate a few hours to, hopefully, strike a spark in someone out there in those desks, like Poitier did for a ragtag bunch of British students.

I'm doing double duty, first at Steinbrenner High School in Lutz then at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg. Sure, I have a lot of work piled up before the Thanksgiving holiday but that'll have to wait. Some of these students have been shoved aside by other considerations, I'm sure, and I won't contribute to that.

Not today. Not after last night's screening of Precious, a movie based on the power of education in a dreadfully unfortunate girl's life, and one of the best I've seen in 2009. I can imagine a lot of young people will see Precious and be inspired in some way, as I was in 1967.

If you're not involved in the Teach-In, you can do other things to support our youth today.

For one, Papa John's pizza is donating a portion of its proceeds today (not online orders, though) if you just say "NIE" when you place an order. NIE stands for Newspapers in Education, which the Times heartily supports with year-round involvement.

Or you can just take a minute to ask a student how he or she is doing in class. Make a point of reminding them how important education will be to their lives, even if they bristle at the thought right now. You never know when such words will make a difference.

Now I'm off. Can't be tardy, you know.