In the fall of 1994, Max Jeffrey was working for the family Xerox business when he was asked by then-head football coach Chris Chalmers to coach B-squad football.

“It was Chris who turned me on to teaching,” Jeffrey said. “I realized I was teaching on the football field.”

Six years ago, at age 31, Jeffrey went back to school to earn his teaching degree. And he’s never looked back.

“I bring some other experiences to it,” he said of teaching. “I really, really enjoy it.”

His love of teaching is obvious to his students as well; he was recognized this week as Wal-Mart’s Local Teacher of the Year.

“I was shocked,” Jeffrey said of the honor. “It’s very humbling. For the first time, I was speechless.”

Jeffrey is at Albert Lea High School for the first period of the day, then teaches computer technology at Southwest Middle School for the remainder of the day. He also serves as athletic director at Southwest.

“I see every seventh- and eighth-grader at some time throughout the year,” Jeffrey said, adding in seventh grade, the emphasis is on typing skills with introductions to Microsoft Office products. In eighth grade, he also emphasizes typing. “And we take it up a notch,” he said.

But it goes beyond teaching about computers. There are words to live by, too. A “Count On Me” sign greets students walking into his room. Inside, there are other words of wisdom: “Do Your Best,” “Treat People Right” and “Do What’s Right.”

Jeffrey, who grew up in Albert Lea and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1990, said he loves teaching in his hometown.

“I was fortunate I got my first teaching job here,” he said. “I was in the right place at the right time.”

He can share stories of attending the old high school and Southwest, he added.

But it’s the kids that make it all worthwhile. “They energize me,” he said. “It’s the kids who pick me up.”

It’s the little things kids do, he said, that make his day. He keeps any notes his students have written to him to let him know what he does is appreciated.

“When I’m having a bad day, I get one out,” he said.

In addition to teaching, Jeffrey is still the B squad football coach and has begun studying for his master’s degree. He and his wife, Lori, have two children, daughter Taya, 5, and Reece, 2 1/2.

“So we’re pretty busy,” he said.

As Teacher of the Year, Jeffrey was presented with a $1,000 educational grant for Southwest, a $100 gift card to buy classroom supplies and a personalized certificate.

Jeffrey was nominated for the honor by one of his students. The nomination read, “Mr. Jeffrey is a very supportive teacher who is willing to give all his time and effort to help. He helped me in many ways and made me feel like a better person.”

While Jeffrey doesn’t know who nominated him, he said to have a student take the time to nominate him is “pretty cool.”

“I hope sometime the student comes forward,” Jeffrey said. “I’d just like to thank him.”