Last week, I learned that a second-grade teacher
in Indiana and his students were raising
money for the Ellen Fund.
So I sent him a tweet to say thanks.
And this is what happened.
Which one is my favorite, important, golden rule
in the classroom?
Laila.
Be kind to one another.
Because you want to treat all the people, like you--
Like you want to be treated.
--want to be?
Treated.
Exactly.
Yesterday, after Louis was reading his book
about gorillas, I posted that little story on Twitter.
And guess who wrote me back?
Ellen!
Oh, my God!
And he said, "Show your students this tweet.
And let them know that Ellen is a personal friend."
[SCREAMING]
They will send you guys a little gift.
[EXCLAIMING]
So Pascual is in his classroom waiting to Zoom with someone
from the Ellen Fund team.
But surprise!
It's going to be me.
So let's surprise him now.
Pascual.
Oh, my God!
[APPLAUSE]
You kidding me?
I'm not kidding--
Oh, my God.
--you.
Hi.
[LAUGHTER]
Hi, Pascual.
Hi, Ellen.
How are you?
Oh, my God!
This is [INAUDIBLE].
First of all, I love your hair.
And second of all, since we're personal friends,
I thought I should Zoom with you today.
Oh, my God.
Oh, this isn't happening.
[LAUGHTER]
You're awesome.
OK.
So your story is incredible.
I want everybody to learn about you.
Tell everybody how long you've been a teacher.
Oh, my God.
OK.
Ellen, I have been a teacher for nine years now.
Seven years in Puerto Rico and two years now in Indiana.
So I've been here in Indiana since two years now.
And tell everybody why you wanted to be a teacher.
I want to become a teacher.
I've always believed that being a teacher is calling.
It's not something that you decide.
It's not something that you make a decision of.
It's a calling.
So I cannot think about anything else I could be doing right
now.
Teaching is the one thing I know to do the best.
And you can see how much you love your students.
They just mean everything.
They mean the world to me.
My students come from all kinds of backgrounds,
all kinds of situations.
So I learn more from them than they know from me.
Yup, that's correct.
Oh, my God.
[LAUGHTER]
So you left Puerto Rico.
And you've been working there for a few years.
I know how close you are with your family.
You're close with your mom.
That must have been really difficult to make that decision
to come here by yourself.
Moving here.
Oh, my God.
The picture.
Coming here has been the most difficult decision
I have made in my whole life.
Yes.
Well, I actually did because my mom means the world to me.
So sometimes, you have to make hard decisions.
And I did it for them.
Yeah.
So you're spending your own money,
buying plexiglass, installing it in your classrooms
during COVID.
And you decorate cakes.
You work as an Uber driver to make ends meet.
So you're working three jobs.
And then first of all, when you are an Uber driver--
I saw a picture.
Tell everybody what you do.
This is hilarious.
Yes, I have to work--
every teacher works more than they are supposed to.
But I enjoy my work and my job.
When I'm doing Uber drive, I just put the phone.
And I put yourself there.
I put your special from Netflix.
[APPLAUSE]
It's a great way to change the mood
of the clients, the passengers.
And has been great.
And it's a great way to also collect some tips because they
leave the car very happy.
I thought that was so hilarious that you're
playing my stand-up special while people are in your car.
I mean, very, very creative, very clever.
All right so--
Yeah, they come in a very bad mood from work,
from whatever they are, and they just
leave the car in a great mood.
So that's the best thing to do.
Do you start it from the beginning or they just come
in midway?
Because you have to see it from the beginning to know what
I'm talking about.
Yes, yes, yes.
I put it from the beginning, but anywhere they
catch up the special, they just enjoy it.
Because It's joke, after joke, after joke.
So it's great.
Well, listen.
You should pretend to get lost.
So they get to see the whole hour because--
[LAUGHTER]
--it's not fair that they just see 10 minutes.
Pascual, we have to take a break.
And when we come back, we're going to talk to you some more.
You're awesome.
Thank you so much.
We'll be back.
Pascual, tell everyone what your class has
been doing for the Ellen Fund.
Oh, yes.
This is amazing.
So we record a video, and I posted on Twitter.
They have become crazy about it.
They've made a box because you texted them back.
So they are so grateful.
They want to give back the foundation.
So they make this box.
And we are filling out with money.
My goal is to fill it to the top and even more to send it back
to the Ellen Foundation.
It's a great way to say thank you
and to say how grateful we are for all that you
have done for us.
Well, it's amazing.
Those kids are having a hard time themselves.
And you're working three jobs.
And you're trying to help the gorillas, which
I appreciate that so very much.
We got something to say thank you.
For all of your students, they're
going to be ambassadors for the Ellen Fund.
And we're sending them these t-shirts for them--
Yay.
--to be able to wear.
[APPLAUSE]
So they can be so proud of saving the gorillas.
And, Pascual, I know you're playing my stand-up, especially
in the Uber.
But it's hard for them to see on a tiny phone.
So we're sending you an iPad.
So you can stick it on the windshield.
And you can-- yeah.
So you'll have this.
Thank you.
It's bigger.
You can't show them on my phone.
And then also, I know that the school has been trying
to raise money for technology.
So Shutterfly cares about supporting schools in need.
They're going to give Forest Glen Elementary school $10,000.
[APPLAUSE]
And we want to do something for you as well, Pascual.
Shutterfly loves--
My God.
--helping people like you.
So we are going to give you $10,000 as well.
So you, personally, are getting $10,000.
The school is getting $10,000.
The kids are ambassadors.
And kids, I love you.
I love what you're doing.
Thank you for caring about the planet.
Thank you for caring about the gorillas.