All in Education
Dr. Chelsey Green serves as a constant reminder that everything happens for a reason. From the origin of her violin career to the formation of her band, she’s followed the flow of things and found even greater outcomes. Green consistently proves her dedication to music and demonstrates her belief that it can be shared in various ways.
No one, regardless of sexuality or gender, should go without a home. In 1989, after hearing the trauma LGBTQ+ youth faced in foster care, ally and LGBTQ+ activist Cath Hall created AKT—the U.K.’s first homeless charity for young people. Since then, AKT has expanded its resources both online and offline.
Teaching abroad in the bustling capital of Japan, Tokyo, English-speaking teacher Patrick Smith shares on TikTok his wacky and memorable experiences living in the country and working with young students. Within his videos, he also showcases the importance of having representation in the classroom.
Meet Linda Malys Yore, the 69-year-old travel blogger who’s been all around the U.S. and the world and isn’t stopping any time soon. Reluctant at first to share her travel experiences online after her daughter gifted her the blog, Lindaontherun.com, Yore has ended up attracting an audience with her Instagram alone, gathering 73.5K followers.
Take some hair extensions, glue, party hats, and even a working toy helicopter, and there you have it, art at its finest. Meet sisters and co-founders of the wig and hair product business The Hair Closet, Toni and Nicole Fulton whose hair art has gone viral on TikTok and won accolades.
Traci Neal knew she could write ever since she was little. Regardless, Neal tried to become a teacher, only to fail to pass the Praxis II teaching certification exam at every turn. When Neal failed the tenth time, that’s when it clicked for her to combine her love of writing and youth to become a published children’s writer.
Murfreesboro Police Officer Cole Glass serves under the Travis Manion Foundation as a Character Does Matter mentor for elementary students. Through his work, he teaches students how to become everyday heroes and leaders in their own communities. Wanting his students to see the impact 9/11 has had, Glass inspires them to take part in the community’s first-ever 9/11 Heroes Run.
Out Loud Audiobooks (OLA) is a nonprofit organization that connects readers and storytellers worldwide. Kathleen Fowlds founded OLA in Zimbabwe to allow volunteers to donate their time to record sections of books for blind and visually impaired children. OLA focus is recording many notable works that cannot be found for free or in an accessible audio form. Current projects include Emma, Peter Pan, and The Three Musketeers.
Larissa Leon is a student competing for The Duck Brand’s $10,000 “Stuck at Prom” scholarship. She has gone viral for her dress made from 47 rolls of tape that took over 173 hours to create. She designed it to pay homage to her Mexican roots. The dress is inspired by the Folklorico-styled dresses that stem from Spanish folk heritage. Leon has inspired thousands of others to take pride in their heritage and celebrate the beauty in Mexican Culture.
“I wanted to do something more than just a dress; I wanted it to be a part of me, ” - Larissa Leon.
20-year-old Tanzanian American and college student Marie Mbullu is behind Habari Njema, the TikTok series dedicated to informing a diverse audience about news from the African continent. From politics to pop culture, to all of the good things going on in Africa, Mbullu works to inform her over 200 thousand followers, many of which have a new interest in African culture and current events.
Safe Bridges LA (SBLA) is a nonprofit organization founded by radio personality and former community service provider Joslyn “Inkwell J” Beard. SBLA helps transitional-aged youth find allyship and inspiration through radio broadcasting. She is also helping the formerly incarcerated find resources for advancement in career and emotional support. Beard is deeply passionate about supporting people facing these hardships because she says she was wrongfully convicted and wants to use her experiences to elevate and educate others about how to avoid these circumstances but also succeed despite them.
Oakland high school senior Ahmed Muhammad has taken his own passion for math and science to a new level by providing kids in his community with fun and affordable science resources.
The Prison Literature Project is a volunteer-run organization that provides books to people who are incarcerated. This organization and its fairly simple premise work to build connections and give the right to knowledge with some of our society’s most isolated individuals.
This week's Sprinkle of Inspiration all started with two best friends. After witnessing the need for free preschool education in the Raleigh, North Carolina area, Laurie Harrell and Ellen Safrit decided to start their own non-profit, Wee Care. Today they continue to spread love through their all inclusive preschool, offering transportation and two meals a day for their Wee Care kiddos. To learn more about Wee Care check out our multi media Sprinkle of Inspiration article!
Students, teachers and parents all share a similar struggle with virtual education but continue to keep their spirits high by creating reasons to stay positive. High school senior, Poulomi Mitra understands the pressure to succeed in school and now more than ever, students are faced with tremendous challenges. She is now Co-Founder of an online tutoring platform that provides extra help to her peers while navigating online classes.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Brilla Public Charter Schools partnered with Mottley Kitchen to help provide for families in their community in the South Bronx. They have 240 committed boxes going to families who need food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” - Dr. Seuss
In 2004, a group of early childhood educators in Harrisonburg, Virginia noticed that 50% of children entering kindergarten had low levels of literacy. In response, they created The Reading Road Show, also known as the Gus Bus, a mobile classroom that visits kids in their neighborhoods and allows them the opportunity to check out books and participate in lessons of different subjects.
“To know that you had a hand in being a positive role model for a child or providing an experience that they might not have had otherwise is exciting,” - Danielle Middlebrooks
Danielle Middlebrooks is the executive director at Community Youth Advance, an organization that serves Prince George’s County and works to “teach, reach, and keep” youth on the path to success.
"Inspire, celebrate, and empower our black males. Support them in becoming confident, intelligent, strong, capable, and powerful black men, teens, and boys." - Stephanie Lahart. Jeremy Herte has a passion for podcasting and helping African American men discuss what they have to navigate through on a daily basis. Through his podcast Let's Talk Bruh, Herte has the goal of helping black men with their ongoing journey of masculinity.
"People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves, they have the first secret of success.” – Norman Vincent Peale. Mira Stern is an advisor, educator, and school leader. She also has a passion for social justice. She intertwined these two aspects of her life to help educate high school students on concepts in our society that deal with social justice.
