During his senior year of high school on the Puyallup Reservation, Gerald Dillon traded much of his academic coursework for career training. When he walked into the second grade classroom where he worked as a teaching assistant, students would rush from their seats for a fist bump or a hug.
The 18-year-old, who once found classes boring and put in only enough effort to pass, found renewed purpose to come to school everyday.
kAm“xE >@E:G2E6D >6] x =:<6 >2<:?8 4@??64E:@?D H:E9 E96 <:5D[ x =:<6 96=A:?8 E96>[” s:==@? D2:5]k^Am
kAmxE 3682? 😕 9:D ;F?:@C J62C H96? 96 6?C@==65 😕 42C66C EC2:?:?8 4@FCD6D] $@@?[ s:==@? D2:5[ 9:D 8C256D :>AC@G65] w6 8C25F2E65 😕 yF?6 7C@> r9:67 {6D49: $49@@=D 😕 (2D9:?8E@? 2?5 😀 ?@H 4@?D:56C:?8 8@:?8 E@ 4@==686 7@C 2 E6249:?8 568C66]k^Am
kAmp5>:?:DEC2E@CD 2E E96 D49@@= D2J 2 D9:7E 😕 7@4FD E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^ECF>A\D66@?6J\ga_f3hf4eahaa_f242g`5h`72g_adf56QmE649?:42= EC2:?:?8 2?5 42C66C C625:?6DDk^2m 😀 A2J:?8 @77[ H:E9 >@C6 DEF56?ED ?@E @?=J DE2J:?8 😕 D49@@= 3FE 8C25F2E:?8 @? E:>6]k^Am
kAm%9@D6 82:?D 2C6 6>3=6>2E:4 @7 AC@8C6DD 24C@DD E96 &]$] qFC62F @7 x?5:2? t5F42E:@?[ H9:49 @G6CD66D `gb AC:>2CJ 2?5 D64@?52CJ D49@@=D D6CG:?8 @G6C c_[___ DEF56?ED] x? a_`d[ ;FDE @G6C 92=7 @7 9:89 D49@@=6CD 2E qxt D49@@=D 8C25F2E65 H:E9:? 7@FC J62CD] %92E ?F>36C D@2C65 E@ 2 C64@C5 9:89 @7 fhT 3J a_ad]k^Am
kAm$@>6 qxt 65F42E@CD 2EEC:3FE6 E92E DFC86 E@ =@42= :??@G2E:@?D] pDD:DE2?E $64C6E2CJ @7 x?5:2? p772:CD q:==J z:C<=2?5 D2JD E96J C67=64E E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?’D 4@>>:E>6?E E@ }2E:G6 p>6C:42? DEF56?ED[ :?4=F5:?8 677@CED E@ DEC6?8E96? E62496C EC2:?:?8] x? 255:E:@?[ E96 H2J 8C25F2E:@? C2E6D 2C6 C6A@CE65 24C@DD qxt D49@@=D H2D 492?865 E@ 255C6DD 7=2H65 52E2 4@==64E:@? E92E AC6G:@FD=J 56AC6DD65 E96 ?F>36CD]k^Am
kAmqFE 4@?46C?D =@@> E92E 492?86D C6D92A:?8 E96 qxt F?56C E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? — :?4=F5:?8 E96 A=2??65 5:D>2?E=:?8 @7 E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@? 2?5 4@?E:?F65 72==@FE 7C@> 4FED :?DE:EFE65 3J s~vt — 4@F=5 F?56C>:?6 AC@8C6DD 2?5 AC6G6?E DECF88=:?8 D49@@=D 7C@> :>AC@G:?8]k^Am
k9am#6A@CE:?8 DE2?52C5D ?6E >@C6 244FC2E6 52E2k^9am
kAm%96 DFC86 😕 8C25F2E:@? C2E6D C67=64ED[ 😕 A2CE[ >@C6 244FC2E6 C6A@CE:?8 C2E96C E92? 2 DF556? =62A 😕 DEF56?E 24256>:4 :>AC@G6>6?E[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 286?4J @77:4:2=D]k^Am
kAmu@C J62CD[ D49@@= 25>:?:DEC2E@CD 24C@DD E96 DJDE6> FD65 7=2H65 >6E9@5D E@ EC24< 8C25F2E:@? C2E6D[ @7E6? 4@F?E:?8 DEF56?ED H9@ 925 EC2?D76CC65 E@ @E96C D49@@=D 2D 5C@A@FED]k^Am
kAm“(6 925 E@ 4@>6 E@ 2 4@?D6?DFD 2?5 D6E 2? 244@F?E23:=:EJ 7C2>6H@C< 7@C @FC D49@@=D[” D2:5 r2C>6=:2 q646?E:[ E96 286?4J’D 49:67 24256>:4 @77:46C]k^Am
kAmq68:??:?8 😕 a_`g[ qxt 3682? DE2?52C5:K:?8 52E2 4@==64E:@? >6E9@5D] x? E96 J62CD D:?46[ q646?E: D2:5[ E96 52E2 92D A2:?E65 2 >@C6 244FC2E6 2?5 6?4@FC28:?8 A:4EFC6]k^Am
kAmp? p! 2?2=JD:D @7 qxt 52E2 7@F?5 E92E 8C25F2E:@? C2E6D 24C@DD E96 DJDE6> 2C6 FA ddT D:?46 ?6H C6A@CE:?8 DE2?52C5D 3682? C@==:?8 @FE[ H:E9 “ @7 :ED D64@?52CJ D49@@=D C6A@CE:?8 `__T 8C@HE9 @C 9:896C]k^Am
k9am}6H 2AAC@2496D 96=A DEF56?ED 4@??64Ek^9am
kAm{6DD E92? @?6\E9:C5 @7 qxt D49@@=D 2C6 @A6C2E65 3J E96 286?4J :ED6=7] %96 C6DE 2C6 CF? 3J EC:36D 2?5 C646:G6 7656C2= 7F?5:?8] pE D@>6 @7 E9@D6[ 65F42E@CD D2J 52E2 4@==64E:@? 😀 @?=J A2CE @7 E96 DE@CJ]k^Am
kAms@? qCF>>6EE[ DFA6C:?E6?56?E @7 r9:67 {6D49: $49@@=D[ D2:5 9:D DE277 92D 366? H@C<:?8 E@ 4@CC64E 2 “5:D4@??64E” 36EH66? E96 9:89 D49@@=VD AC6G:@FD =2D6C 7@4FD @? 86EE:?8 DEF56?ED C625J 7@C 4@==686 2?5 >2?J DEF56?ED’ 8@2=D @7 7:?5:?8 2 ;@3 FA@? 8C25F2E:@?]k^Am
kAm“(6 56G2=F65 E96 EC256D] %92E H2D 2 >:DE2<6[” qCF>>6EE D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 D49@@= =2F?4965 :ED 42C66C 2?5 E649?:42= 4FCC:4F=F> 😕 a_a_ H:E9 7F?5:?8 7C@> E96 !FJ2==FA %C:32= r@F?4:=] $:?46 E96?[ qCF>>6EE 92D D66? DEF56?ED H9@ >:89E @E96CH:D6 92G6 5C@AA65 @FE :?DE625 6?E6C 962=E9 D4:6?46D[ 65F42E:@? 2?5 7:D96C:6D >2?286>6?E 2?5 7:?5 ?6H >@E:G2E:@? E@ DE2J 😕 D49@@=]k^Am
kAms:==@?[ E96 C646?E 8C25F2E6[ D2:5 92?5D\@? ;@3 EC2:?:?8 H2D 2 36EE6C >2E49 7@C 9:D =62C?:?8 DEJ=6]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D <:?5 @7 E96 7:CDE E:>6 x 76=E 6I4:E65 E@ 8@ E@ D49@@=[” D2:5 s:==@?[ C67=64E:?8 @? 9:D E:>6 96=A:?8 D64@?5 8C256CD AC24E:46 C625:?8 D<:==D 2?5 =62C? E96 =:76 4J4=6 @7 2 7C@8]k^Am
kAmq6EH66? a_`h 2?5 a_ad[ r9:67 {6D49: $49@@=D C6A@CE65 7@FC\J62C 8C25F2E:@? C2E6D C@D6 7C@> dbT E@ gfT]k^Am
kAmp 7@4FD @? EC256D 😀 ;FDE @?6 @7 E96 H2JD EC:32=\4@?EC@==65 qxt D49@@=D 92G6 :??@G2E65 E@ <66A DEF56?ED @? EC24<] pE r9@4E2H r6?EC2= w:89 $49@@=[ 2 qxt D49@@= @A6C2E65 3J E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^F?:E65\DE2E6D\?2E:G6\2>6C:42?\:?5:86?@FD\DE:4<32==\49@4E2H\`6b_g“b2bh5_556g74e7h4`b6a`34bgQm|:DD:DD:AA: q2?5 @7 r9@4E2Hk^2m[ 25>:?:DEC2E@CD D2:5 2 r~’xs\6C2 6IA6C:>6?E 😕 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^;@6\3:56?\962=E9\65F42E:@?\A2?56>:4D\4@C@?2G:CFD\A2?56>:4\75h76_be`73h_ac3gfc`33dehee7efg2QmG:CEF2= =62C?:?8k^2m 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ 2 DFC86 😕 8C25F2E:@? C2E6D 7C@> C@F89=J f_T E@ hbT]k^Am
kAm“u@C 46CE2:? <:5D E92E 92G6 >@C6 C6DA@?D:3:=:E:6D 2E 9@>6[ <:5D E92E ?665 E@ H@C<[ H6 D2H E92E WG:CEF2= =62C?:?8X 82G6 E96> 2 7=6I:3=6 D4965F=6 2?5 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 62C? E96:C 5:A=@>2[” D2:5 AC:?4:A2= p=2C:4 z62>D]k^Am
kAm(96? A2?56>:4 =@4<5@H?D =:7E65[ E96 5:DEC:4E >2:?E2:?65 2 G:CEF2= =62C?:?8 @AE:@? 7@C 2== 9:89 D49@@=6CD]k^Am
kAmqFE ?@E 2== EC:32= 8@G6C?>6?ED 92G6 E96 C6D@FC46D E@ A2J 7@C E96D6 <:?5D @7 AC@8C2>D @C E2<6 @G6C >2?286>6?E @7 qxt D49@@=D]k^Am
kAm!6E6C {6?8<66<[ 492:C>2? @7 E96 rC@H rC66< $:@FI %C:36 😕 $@FE9 s2<@E2[ D2JD E96 qxt\@A6C2E65 9:89 D49@@= D6CG:?8 9:D 4@>>F?:EJ 😀 49C@?:42==J F?56CDE27765 2?5 4CF>3=:?8 F?56C 2 324<=@8 @7 5676CC65 >2:?E6?2?46[ :?4=F5:?8 2 8J>?2D:F> H:E9 D:?<:?8 H2==D 2?5 2 C@56?E :?76DE2E:@?] xE 92D C6A@CE65 8C25F2E:?8 76H6C E92? e_T @7 DEF56?ED @? E:>6 😕 C646?E J62CD]k^Am
kAm“x7 H6 H6C6 23=6 E@[ H6 H@F=5 DE6A 😕 2?5 ECJ E@ C6>65J 2 =@E @7 E96D6 E9:?8D[” D2:5 {6?8<66<] “(6 92G6 E@ C6=J @? E96 8@G6C?>6?E E@ 7F=7:== :ED EC62EJ AC@>:D6]”k^Am
k9am%C:32= =6256CD AFD9 324< 282:?DE 65F42E:@? 492?86Dk^9am
kAmuC@> E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^ECF>A\65F42E:@?\56A2CE>6?E\5:D>2?E=6\4=@D6\3_26g3eff2ebafb2h3_e4a3c__d566c5Qm5:D>2?E=:?8 @7 E96 7656C2= s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@?k^2m E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^5@86\ECF>A\>FD<\D2G:?8D\7656C2=\H@C<6CD\65ga436d`e734daf3_5gbha6f3g_hg54Qms~vt C65F4E:@?Dk^2m E92E DH6AE @FE =@?8E:>6 DE2776CD[ 2D H6== 2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^ECF>A\3F586E\EC:32=\4@==686D\7F?5:?8\4FED\3224ce6a4g73dhe56g44fhhd7`de5547QmC6A62E65 E9C62EDk^2m @7 566A 7F?5:?8 4FED[ EC:32= =6256CD 762C E96 AC@8C6DD E92E 92D 366? >256 4@F=5 36 F?56C>:?65]k^Am
kAmx? }@G6>36C a_ad[ E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@? 3682? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^65F42E:@?\56A2CE>6?E\ECF>A\DE2E6\99D\6ga2d62dga7`3fb_2hdh`34c7fefea`6Qm92?5:?8 @77k^2m @G6CD:89E @7 5@K6?D @7 AC@8C2>D E92E D6CG6 }2E:G6 DEF56?ED E@ qxt]k^Am
kAmpE 2 EC:32= 4@?DF=E2E:@? D6DD:@? 😕 u63CF2CJ 😕 (2D9:?8E@?[ s]r][ 5@K6?D @7 EC:32= =6256CD DA@<6 😕 @AA@D:E:@?[ D2J:?8 E96 EC2?D:E:@? 4@F=5 @G6CH96=> E96 2=C625J F?56CDE27765 2?5 DEC6E4965 qxt H:E9 255:E:@?2= C6DA@?D:3:=:E:6D] $6G6C2= 244FD65 E96 56A2CE>6?E @7 :8?@C:?8 :ED k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^65F42E:@?\56A2CE>6?E\5@H?D:K:?8\EC:36D\3:2\?2E:G6\2>6C:42?D\_222e_“24“7ha6ec6g3f7553bg7324Qm=682= C6DA@?D:3:=:EJk^2m E@ D66< E96:C :?AFE 367@C6 >@G:?8 7@CH2C5]k^Am
kAm“(6 2C6 96C6 E@@ =2E6[” D2:5 w6CD496= v@C92>[ =:6FE6?2?E 8@G6C?@C @7 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?2E:G6\2>6C:42?\3@2C5:?8\D49@@=\42C=:D=6\A6??DJ=G2?:2\b5hc6ha66`32de`cd4he4eehed2c2454Qmr96J6??6 2?5 pC2A29@ %C:36Dk^2m] “%96 :?< H2D 5CJ @? E96 28C66>6?ED 367@C6 E96 EC:36D H6C6 6G6C ?@E:7:65] %92E D9@F=5 ?6G6C[ 6G6C 92AA6?]”k^Am
kAmy2D@? sC@A:<[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 }2E:@?2= x?5:2? t5F42E:@? pDD@4:2E:@?[ D2:5 EFC>@:= 2E E96 286?4JVD (2D9:?8E@? @77:46 EC:4<=6D 5@H? E@ D49@@=D[ A@:?E:?8 E@ 2 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 6I64FE:G6 @C56C E92E 2:>65 E@ EFC? E96 qxt :?E@ 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^AC@;64ED^AC:G2E:K:?8\AF3=:4\D49@@=\FD^QmD49@@= 49@:46k^2m DJDE6> 3FE H2D D42=65 324< 27E6C 2? @FE4CJ 7C@> EC:36D]k^Am
kAm“%92E 42FD65 D@>6 56=2JD 2?5 5:DCFAE:@?D E@ D6CG:46D[” sC@A:< D2:5] “(96? 5C2DE:4 492?86D 8@ :?E@ >@E:@? H:E9@FE EC:32= 4@?DF=E2E:@?[ E96C6 42? 36 F?:?E6?565 4@?D6BF6?46D 7@C @FC DEF56?ED]”k^Am
kAm{6?8<66< H@CC:6D E96 qxt 4@F=5 36 4@?DF>65 3J A@=:E:42= FA962G2= H9:=6 D49@@=D =:<6 E96 @?6 D6CG:?8 9:D 4@>>F?:EJ 4@?E:?F6 E@ F?56CA6C7@C>]k^Am
kAm“%9:D DJDE6> 9@=5D E96 7FEFC6 @7 @FC ?2E:@?D 😕 :ED 92?5D[” {6?8<66< D2:5] “(6 ?665 DE23:=:EJ] (6 ?665 :?4C62D65 7F?5:?8] (6 ?665 :?7C2DECF4EFC6]”k^Am
kAm——k^Am
kAm%9:D DE@CJ 😀 AF3=:D965 E9C@F89 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2A]@C8^E96\567:?:E:G6\D@FC46^2??@F?46>6?ED^DEC6?8E96?:?8\:?5:86?@FD\4@G6C286\E9C@F89\4@==23@C2E:@?^Qmv=@32= x?5:86?@FD #6A@CE:?8 }6EH@C
k9C ^m
kAm%9:D DE@CJ 92D 366? FA52E65 E@ 4@CC64E E92E “ qxt D64@?52CJ D49@@=D[ ?@E ?:?6[ C6A@CE65 `__T 8C@HE9 @C 9:896C]k^Am
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.