One New York-based teacher has found an incredibly fashionable and glamorous way to supplement his public school income , working as a model for some of the world ’ s top designers . Sam Pearce , 24 , of Milton , Massachusetts , initially came to New York City to peruse a career in education , and soon after arriving in the Big Apple he landed a job teaching English to eighth graders in Brooklyn , New York . But just a few months after landing the job , the six-foot , green-eyed Brown University graduate was 'discovered ' on the subway by another model , who promptly asked whether he could send Mr. Pearce ’ s picture to his own modeling agency in the hopes of getting him signed up . Model behavior : New York teacher Sam Pearce , 24 , was discovered on the F train in New York City and now juggles his career as an eighth-grade English teacher with a side job modelling for top designers . ' I was taken aback and flattered , but also kind of incredulous , ' he told Racked of the encounter , which took place on the F train . 'He was just like , `` Hey , you 're a model , right ? '' I said , `` Noooo , I 'm a teacher , dude . '' ' Soon after , Mr. Pearce , who was at the time teaching a summer school course and standing to earn $ 45,530 in the coming school year , signed a modelling contract with RED NYC and started posing for designer lookbooks and walking in fashion shows in London and Milan under the name Sam Worthen , a pseudonym taken from his mother 's maiden name . But the hunky instructor insists that he does n't let his side job posing for Alexander McQueen , Diesel Black Gold , and DKNY interfere with his responsibility to his students . Classroom to catwalk : Mr. Pearce says his two jobs are similar in that they are both hectic and he needs to keep a straight face during each of them . Renaissance man : Besides teaching and modelling , Mr. Pearce also speaks French , Spanish , and Italian and composes his own music . 'My agents have been pretty great about understanding that teaching is my priority , and they 've gotten me jobs that require me to miss little or no school , ' he said . ' I did the Alexander McQueen show — that was my first real show — over a weekend . I flew out to London on Saturday evening , did the show , and then flew home immediately after ; so I was in London for 12 hours . ' He also managed to fit walking in New York Fashion Week this February into his teaching schedule , modelling in shows during New York City public schools ' week-long winter break . In fact , Mr. Pearce managed to maintain the secret of his second identity until very recently , and even then , he admits he only revealed himself because he thought the publicity could benefit his kids . Male model : Mr. Pearce knows there 's more to life than being really , really , ridiculously good looking ; he also places a lot of importance on getting his English students to read . ' I thought if people take interest in my story I could convert that interest into resources for my students , ' he told Fox CT. Mr. Pearce launched a Go-Fund-Me campaign called The Right Book to raise funds to buy all 67 of his students new books , and the attention his plea received helped him quickly surpass his goal of $ 3,000 in donations . He is now urging would-be donors to help more teachers and students through fundraising website DonorsChoose.org . ' I definitely think of myself as a teacher who happens to model , rather than a model who happens to teach , ' he told People , adding that it is clear to him that models are replaceable but teachers are not .
Diesel goes by the name Sam Worthen when he works as a model . He walked in New York Fashion Week this February while his Brooklyn , New York school was closed for winter break . The 24-year-old has worked for the likes of DNKY , Sam Pearce and Alexander McQueen . Mr. Pearce says he opened up about his double life in an effort to raise money to buy his students books on Go-Fund-Me .