Meet two students who are able to rise above their hardships because of Ms. Stephenson's support both inside and outside Room 325. Eighteen-year-old Diamond has already endured the death of her father when she was 5 and the incarceration of her mother. Now, she not only goes to school but also works to support the household, which consists of her mother, two sisters, and four children under the age of 7. Still, she maintains a 3.6 grade point average, and she gives a lot of that credit to her culinary arts teacher. "Ms. Stephenson is like a second mother to me," says Diamond. If I need to talk to someone, she's there... she makes me feel wanted."

Likewise, 18-year-old Christian attributes his confidence to Ms. Stephenson. "All my life I've been told that I can't," he says. He stopped caring about school, started hanging out with the wrong crowd, was drinking, and even contemplated suicide -- until his beloved teacher took him under his wing. "I think Ms. Stephenson is the one person who never gave up on me," says Christian. "I love her."

Get the entire story of "Room 325" here.