Ted Hinton, Jr. has spent 50 years with the District of Columbia Public School System (DCPS), serving as a teacher, an administrator, and overall mentor to thousands of students, parents and teachers who have come through the doors of the District’s school system.

In the last half century at DCPS, Hinton estimates he has touched the lives of more than 85,000 students, creating a lasting legacy of learning, self-improvement and success. And, now as Hinton, the Dean of Culture at Powell Bilingual Elementary School in Petworth, prepares to retire on August 4th, he is especially proud of the impact he has had on current and former students.

“It is hard to believe 50 years have gone by,” says Hinton. “It doesn’t feel like 50 years because I enjoyed what I have been doing and working with kids has kept me youthful.”