Sonya Romero, an AFT member who teaches kindergarten at Lew Wallace Elementary in Albuquerque, N.M., appeared on a recent episode of “The Ellen Show” and showed how the courage and generosity that early-childhood educators bring to class every day leads to a lasting legacy of love and learning. Romero, who is also an executive vice president for the Albuquerque Teachers Federation, minced no words when she told host Ellen DeGeneres about the needs that show up every morning at the door of Lew Wallace, where 75 percent of students live below the poverty line, and how she and the staff are determined to meet those challenges. “I ask my kids if they’ve eaten that morning, if they need anything to wear.” Her story, which has generated more than 2 million YouTube views, puts a compelling and human face on the profession.