SANFORD, Fla. — A+ Teacher Marlene Arostegui-Stone knows the power of yes.

She says when she was in high school, her neighbor asked if she’d like to volunteer to work with her special needs students in her classroom during summer school. It was a life-changing moment. Twenty-five years later, Arostegui-Stone continues to say yes to teaching.

Arostegui-Stone’s classroom is a special place to be.

“They just have so much love to give, and I love it. I absolutely love it, and I feel like I'm the luckiest person in the world to have a job that I love," she says.

There are so many magical moments in her classroom at Idyllwilde Elementary School in Sanford, where the focus is always on students’ abilities, Arostegui-Stone says.

"My students are nonverbal, and we have days when a word will come out and it's just amazing," she says.

There is a lot of learning going on, too.

"We have a different curriculum than the typical classroom," Arostegui-Stone says. "I enjoy the natural environment of teaching, like what we're doing now. They're playing and we're trying to incorporate some basic skills along with it."

She says skills like sharing and getting along, as well as shapes and colors, are all part of the teaching method.

She says her career is rewarding.

"I get to spend time with children with special needs all day, and at the end of the day, I go home happy with fun stories to share with my family,” Arostegui-Stone explains.

When she is at work, though, she likes to make sure that everything in the classroom is conducive to learning.

Arostegui-Stone adds, “Loving, caring, warm environment. I love to try to keep mellow music on to help keep them calm."

She has high hopes for each student.

"That they know they were loved and encouraged and hopefully they can live up to their potential,” Arostegui-Stone says.