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Love and Inspiration

Every child has the potential to accomplish whatever they put their mind to, but some students’ lives outside of the classroom lack crucial support and resources – making it difficult for them to really believe this is true in their own life.

Teachers have the unique opportunity to instill in their students the belief that they too can reach for the stars and make academic success a part of their reality.

During March — Women’s History Month — we are honoring women teacher leaders who are making a difference in their classrooms. Today, we honor kindergarten teacher Kerri Newsom.

An educator of 16 years, Ms. Newsom teaches kindergarten at Dyersburg Primary School in Tennessee. She finds it hard to ignore the growing number of students who have an extreme lack of resources, guidance, and necessities when compared to their peers.

“When these students come to school hungry, dirty, and tired, they are also the students that struggle the most. Students like this need more than just everyday teaching, they need love and inspiration – and it is our job as educators to ensure they receive both in some capacity,” says Ms. Newsom.

Through Ms. Newsom’s participation in the Aim High Fellowship, she is teaming up with Tennessee Titans punter Brett Kern to show students how aiming high, practicing, and testing themselves can help them achieve their academic goals. In particular, this superstar teacher is working with her students each day before and after school, and making sure they have transportation to and from school, as well as food and supplies. She does all of this to help make sure her kids only have to focus on learning and have the mental space to think about what they want to achieve.

Ms. Newsom says, “This is an opportunity to reach them in a way no one has been able to before. If we could reach them, we could teach them, and if we could teach them, their futures would be brighter.”

We are excited to see how Ms. Newsom’s passion for achievement enriches the lives of her students!

About the Collaborative for Student Success

At our core, we believe leaders at all levels have a role to play in ensuring success for K-12 students. From ensuring schools and teachers are equipped with the best materials to spotlighting the innovative and bold ways federal recovery dollars are being used to drive needed changes, the Collaborative for Student Success aims to inform and amplify policies making a difference for students and families.

To recover from the most disruptive event in the history of American public schools, states and districts are leveraging unprecedented resources to make sure classrooms are safe for learning, providing students and teachers with the high-quality instructional materials they deserve, and are rethinking how best to measure learning so supports are targeted where they’re needed most. 

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