I’ve been with Jarrell Independent School District (JISD) for the past three years, and I genuinely love the students we see pass through our DAEP doors. This work is personal for me.
I wasn’t the perfect student growing up — I was actually a pretty notorious school skipper and found myself in trouble more than a few times. I was lucky enough to have some incredible teachers and an even better principal who didn’t give up on me. They pushed me, held me accountable, and helped me turn it around. I ended up graduating in the top 10% of my class, and that support changed the entire direction of my life.
I went on to build a successful career in entertainment publicity and eventually moved back to Texas from Los Angeles in 2019 to start my own business. But I always knew I wanted to work with kids who just needed someone in their corner. My mom suggested I try substitute teaching in my downtime — so I did. I landed at Jarrell’s DAEP, and thankfully, they let me stay.
Now, I’m working toward my teaching certification so I can keep doing this work long-term and hopefully help grow and expand the programs we offer. I believe every student deserves a second chance and someone who sees their potential — because someone once did that for me.
