Larry Powell has been involved in the Fresno County education system for more than four decades and he's given back hundreds of thousands of dollars to the community.
Larry Powell has been an avid supporter of education right here in the Central Valley for 43 years.
He got his start as a teacher at Sanger High and worked there for more than 10 years, but always had a passion for leadership to do more for students and educators.
"The only reason I could leave the classroom was that I felt that I might have a bigger impact on teachers that are currently teaching," said Fresno County Superintendent, Larry Powell.
To give back to the community, he unofficially retired two years ago and has since dedicated his salary while serving as superintendent -nearly $600,000.
"Do something to help save some programs during tough budget times, but also set an example for the community," said Powell.
Powell is a big advocate for arts in education that help inspire students like Monike Castro.
"It shows you can apply anything from like art class to make anything outside of life or any other core classes," said Monike Castro from McLane High School in Fresno.
Fresno Unified Superintendent, Mike Hanson commends Powell on his unwavering dedication to the students of Fresno County.
"He's been about pushing us on anti-bullying and support for students and he'll be sorely missed. He's done a great job and superintendents across the country will say the same thing," said Mike Hansen with Fresno Unified.
So what's next for Powell? Well, he's delving into acting, writing and motivational speaking.