Man who shared biggest jackpot returns to teaching

Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2000 | 8:59 a.m.

Les Robins taught at Sabish Junior High School in Fond du Lac when he and Colleen DeVries won the multistate lottery's jackpot in 1993.

It was the nation's biggest lottery prize at the time, and it made Robins the center of news media attention when the results were announced. He quit his job and turned to horse ranching.

But this week, the Fond du Lac Board of Education approved a long-term substitute teaching position for Robins, who worked as a substitute at Sabish in the first semester of this school year.

He is filling an English teacher position created by a mid-year retirement and transfer. Robins will receive $17,169 for teaching second semester.

"We're really happy to have him back," said Sabish Principal Kelly Noble, who noted that Robins had taught there when he won the jackpot. "We're going to try to keep it low key."

To the students and staff, Robins is just "another regular teacher," Noble said. "Our focus is to have him back. It (teaching) is the thing he likes to do and what we want him to do."

There was no telephone listing for Robins when The Associated Press attempted to reach him for further comment Tuesday evening.

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