"Twelve years ago I walked into this arena with my American History class," Julio Garcia declared, his booming voice permeating a packed Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., last Saturday. "I was still trying to figure out what I wanted in life. Tonight, I walked in here with this..."

Julio, who was a featured speaker at the main event of Teach For America's 25th Anniversary Summit, shared how his middle and high school TFA teachers—who stood right behind him on the stage—influenced him to not only attend The Ohio State University but eventually return to his hometown to become a teacher himself. He's now a second-generation TFA corps member (Rio Grande Valley '13) teaching middle school history at Ramiro Barrera Middle School in Roma, Texas.

"I remember when I was in middle school sitting at my desk in my history class, looking up at a teacher who told us he cared about us, and us just laughing at him," he recalled. "I realized that he wasn't crazy. He really did care about us. Now I can't wait for the day that my students realize that, too."

Watch his inspiring speech that rocked the house below.