Jeffrey Carroll just wanted help on a math problem.
Carroll, then a student at Coyle Middle School in Rowlett, Texas, was never the star pupil. He struggled mightily in school for as long as he could remember. While friends would dream of playing college sports, Carroll didn’t believe he would ever be smart enough to meet the academic qualifications.
After his teacher was unable to help him understand the problem, Carroll went to Rodney Elder, another teacher at Coyle. Elder, a math major in college, calmly explained the problem to Carroll step by step. Much to his surprise, Carroll understood.