Position: Student Support Assistant at Achieve Academy
I knew I wanted to work with kids, but I didn’t exactly want to be a teacher and didn’t exactly want to be a school counselor… although I love elements of both. This job is the perfect culmination of the two. I graduated from a college in North Carolina and felt drawn toward the Bay Area. Then I found this job – the job I was searching for without knowing it existed.
Fun Fact/Quote?
“I had the epiphany that laughter was light, and light was laughter, and that this was the secret of the universe” – Donna Tartt
I am wearing 100 hair ties in my hair for the 100th day of school.
What does your average day look like?
I arrive at work and am greeted by my lovely team in our little office. I head over to class… then the day surprises me as it goes on. Something I enjoy about this position is that I never really know where the day is going to go. I do know that I will likely be getting a workout playing tag at recess.
Why do you do this work?
To make students feel empowered and comfortable being themselves. To show the power and beauty of being weird. To show that they are supported and rooted for without reservation.
What hope do you have for the future of All-In?
To be intentional about our use of language. We can change the way we speak to resist conformity, to shift mindsets (especially in young students). It affects the way we think, the way people we interact with think and it shapes our reality. It can be easy to slip into the mundane but being intentional about our words carries so much power.