We asked some of the brightest folks from within the community to reflect back on their days in school and to share with us a story of when they learned a particularly important or impactful lesson. We’ve shared highlights below.
Amanda Keshner
I was basically born a geek. From the age of 3 until 22 years old I have been immersed in the education system. I was always a gifted and talented student and excelled in my academics, however, my behavior needed some work. As an ACE statistic with a lot of childhood and adult traumas, my nervous system was dis regulated and it manifested in some behavioral issues. As a kid and a teen, I always felt a negative association with this. Which, has led me to devote my adult years to healing, wellness, regulating my nervous system, and expanding my consciousness. Read more>>
Michelle P
I was 16 years old in high school 10th grade. We had to read all types of books for English class so I became very interested in writing. And I told my English teacher that I wanted to be a writer. He told me I wouldn’t make a good writer because I wrote how I spoke. That crushed me & kept me from writing for four years. I then tried short poems. My 1st one called, Life, was published in the local paper when I was 20. A week later, a teacher from a H.S. in a neighboring town called me & asked for permission to copy it for his entire class; he said it was so good & left an impact. I was so happy & told him he had my permission. Read more>>
Alexza Maldonado
The cosmetology school that I went to didn’t really teach new “trends” so I would recommend asking to learn EVERYTHING that you want to learn while you are there. A lot of us should’ve been able to learn extensions, sow-ins, fades and etc but unfortunately we didn’t know that we had to ask. Just an advice, if you haven’t been taught what you want to learn. PLEASE bring it up. I hear this from a lot of other cosmetologists as well who attended different schools. Read more>>
Andrea Miller
If I master the art of communication – there is nothing that I cannot attain. I have no idea, if students still learn how to write formal correspondence in elementary school but I certainly did as a 6th grader in my English class at Browns Mill Elementary. Before leaving class one day, my teacher instructed us to go home and identify one item/product that we enjoyed and one item/product with which we were displeased. For each item, we had to research the parent company, find a mailing address and bring them back within a week. I remember vividly that I chose the Chick-Fil-A Original Chicken sandwich for the item I enjoyed but I struggled to think of an item that I did not like. I eventually landed on a bottle of Mr. Clean cleaning solution. Read more>>
Regina H. Moore
Helen M. Pierce was my Kindergarten/1st Grade teacher at Ferguson Elementary School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Mrs. Pierce lived in a neighboring community and between our neighborhoods was the school in walking distance for both of us. I am twin. My sister, Renata, and I are fraternal twins, although many people cannot tell us apart. Growing us, our mother insisted that we dressed alike, wore our hair alike, and got involved in the same childhood activities (e.g., children’s church choir, Girls Scouts, baton school, etc.). Most of this was guided out of a mother’s convenience in the 1970s who had primary responsibility for thinking about shopping for clothes on a budget, caring for laundry, carpooling schedules, and streamlining daily chores. Read more>>
Vickie Brett Amanda Selogie
Vickie: During my final year of law school I had a female judge as a professor. She extended an invite to all the 3Ls to come visit her in her chambers when we passed the bar and were first year attorneys. I took her up on the offer and went to visit her. It was surreal seeing her in her robes behind the bench absolutely commanding the courtroom. Once I got into her chambers we had a long discussion of where I was working and what my hopes were for the future. In the middle of our conversation, she looked me directly in the eyes and said “Trust no one but yourself.” Read more>>