During the U.S. launch of Roots & Shoots, Peter Shaker was a Danbury middle school teacher who partnered with the Jane Goodall Institute in Ridgefield, Connecticut, to pilot Roots & Shoots clubs at two middle schools. These programs were among several others being piloted in the U.S. at that time. In February 1995, Dr. Jane Goodall visited one of his Roots & Shoots clubs, and footage from Goodall's conversation with students is featured throughout the documentary.

Throughout his career, Shaker has combined education with community service and international engagement, becoming involved with several organizations, including Peace Corps, Special Olympics International, the Jane Goodall Institute, Kiwanis, and Connecticut Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand, Shaker worked alongside and trained English language teachers in Thai schools, gaining international experience that further shaped his commitment to education and cross-cultural exchange. In Danbury, Shaker created Peace Week to foster environmental and cross-cultural awareness at his middle school. Following his international service and many years as an educator, Shaker and fellow educators founded English Learner Support Services in 2016 to help newly arrived students develop confidence and proficiency in the English language.