Clinton assistant marks 80th birthday in classroom
Pictured celebrating Clinton Elementary School teaching assistant Albert Earle’s 80th birthday are Roxie Bowles, from left, Yaretzi Lechuga, Earle, Harrison Smith, Thatcher Chitwood and Clay Deboard. (photo:Ben Pounds )
“I am thankful to be here,” Earle said. “You have to have a purpose to get up every morning. You have to have something you enjoy doing.”
He said he loves getting to teach the children.
“Great kids; it’s just an enjoyable place,” he said.
Earle works as a teaching assistant, mostly for reading but occasionally for math at CES.
“My head still thinks I’m 19,” he said. “It feels great. I’m thankful I’ve lived this long.”
He said he retired from a job in finance six years ago.
“I can’t just sit and do nothing,” he said.
He said he has known Kelly Johnson, director of Clinton City Schools, since she was a small girl.
Johnson had been interested in Earle working at the school. He started as a substitute. These days he works four days per week, and 36 weeks per year.
He said he planned to celebrate his birthday by going out to eat with his daughter, but otherwise it was “just another day, really.”
