Another of her students was a top high school basketball player who had done poorly in grades but was "passed along" so he would be eligible to play games for the school.
"He was not a good student, except he was pretty good at math," she says. "However, he was bright and, with hard work, was able to learn," she says. "He got his GED, and once his supervisor at his state job received confirmation of that, the man received a large increase in his salary."
Several of Irvin's students have been Mexicans, and many of them have turned out to be successful students once they have overcome the language barrier.
"One woman was very difficult to understand at first, but I could tell she had great potential," she says. "She was a quick learner and a take-charge person and now holds a responsible management position in Texas."
