East Side third-grade teacher Shalondria Hardin marked one dream off of her bucket list recently. After five years of endless trying, she finally received reservations, along with three family members, to attend a taping on January 19 of the Oprah Show in its final season.

“The staff was amazing,” Shalondria said. “They exemplified how teamwork really makes the dream work. They were flawless in preparing us for the show and directing Oprah during the taping. This was an amazing experience that I hope will be a lesson to all.  Patience and perseverance is worth even your wildest dreams. This was also on my Bucket List and, no, I didn’t receive a new car or fancy gadget. Most importantly I received something I wanted and that was the experience of a lifetime. The episode aired on January 25.