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Age in America: What experienced professionals can provide as schoolteachers

Hollywood trailblazer Sherry Lansing joined Scripps News to discuss the valuable knowledge that people re-trained from different careers bring to the classroom.
A teacher holding up letter for children at a child care center
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This week, Scripps News is partnering with WorkingNation to investigate the challenges facing younger and older Americans — and their potential solutions.

In Hollywood, Sherry Lansing started her career as an English and math teacher in LA Public Schools. But soon she turned her sights to helping make the magic behind the silver screen.

Over her nearly three-decade career in Hollywood, she helped make more than 200 films and broke barriers to become the first female production president of a major studio. She was nominated for an Academy Award for producing the 1987 thriller "Fatal Attraction."

In 1992 she became the chairperson of Paramount Pictures, a role she held for more than 12 years.

Under her tenure at Paramount, she greenlit some of the greatest films of the last 30 years, including "Forrest Gump," "Braveheart" and "Titanic," which at the time was the highest-grossing film in history.

After a historic career in Hollywood, Lansing turned back to her first calling: teaching. She founded Encore, a program that re-trains professionals — including retirees — to become public school teachers in underserved areas.

Lansing joined Scripps News to discuss the valuable knowledge these experienced professionals bring to the classroom.

More stories:
Age in America: How to protect yourself from ageism in the workplace
Age in America: Is there a 'magic number' Americans need to retire comfortably?