“I am Living the Dream,” New Jersey Charter School Teacher Reflects on Being A Guest on The Ellen Degeneres Show, Plans to Give Back Further

Show Partners with TisBest to Gift Mr. Ritchwood with $10,000

NEWARK, NJ – DATE – Marion P. Thomas Charter School students and families saw a familiar face on screen during an episode of the Ellen Degeneres Show that aired Friday, April 22. Special education teacher Jaleel Ritchwood was pulled from the audience during the taping of the episode to be honored for his outstanding work inside and outside the classroom. While appearing on the show, Ritchwood was given a check for $10,000 as a token of appreciation from the show and its partners at TisBest Charities.

Ritchwood said he was originally contacted by the show as they were planning to highlight teachers who did exceptional work. This wasn’t his first time dealing with the media, as he has been featured in a few articles around his community work, so he didn’t think much of it at first.

“I guess they found me through the web circulations and they decided to give me a call. I received a phone call on a Monday, saying that they saw my story and they wanted to talk to me more about my nonprofit and all the different initiatives that I do,” Ritchwood said.

The following day, Ritchwood received a phone call from a producer of the show, asking if they could fly him out for a taping. Ritchwood immediately accepted and invited his father to join him for the once in a lifetime trip to California. Once arriving in the Golden State, Ritchwood became slightly suspicious that something was up. He and his father stayed in a state-of-the-art room, had a personal driver and even had a special seat at the show’s taping.

“I got to the show and noticed I had a special seat. On a little plaque it said ‘Tom Hanks,’ so it must’ve been his chair when he would sit and watch the show,” Ritchwood explained. “As the show began, we were served water and got other things other guests on the show didn’t.”

Right before Ritchwood was going to be sitting in the guest chair, the producers asked him to dance big for the camera, which Ritchwood happily obliged. The show’s guest host tWitch, then invited Ritchwood to come up to the stage and talk with him about his role as a teacher and his advocacy work outside the classroom. After speaking with tWitch, Ritchwood was awarded a $10,000 check made possible by the show’s partners Tisbest Charities.

“It was one of those moments when you feel like you won the lottery.” Ritchwood recalled.

Following his national appearance on the much-loved TV show, Ritchwood says he has heard from people around the world through messages online and fan mail sent to his workplace.

“When I go into the office, someone always has a sticky note with my name saying so-and-so called after they saw me on the Ellen Show. When we check the school’s mail, we find letters addressed to me,” Ritchwood expressed. “It’s amazing, but it’s so overwhelming because I’ve never seen anything like that to where I’m receiving fan mail.”

Ritchwood’s students have given him a new nickname in the classroom, Mr. Ellen. Along with his students’ fun-loving comments, Ritchwood has also received love from community members throughout the city of Newark.

After receiving the $10,000 check, Ritchwood has made plans to further give back to the community that has given him so much. In the days following the show, Ritchwood donated $500 to one of the many charities that he supports, Nassan’s Place. As a special education teacher, Ritchwood often volunteers with the organization, whose mission is to help families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Ritchwood plans to take approximately 20 of his students in his Boys to Men group on a trip to New York City and to help provide scholarships for his students to purchase college textbooks.

“A lot of my students really don’t have the means for a trip like this or school expenses,” Ritchwood said. “I want these kids to have the joy of these experiences.”

To watch Ritchwood’s appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show, click here. Ritchwood was also recently recognized in a video produced by the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association, watch here.

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