The Humans of RV project is a weekly column based on Brandon Stanton’s seminal “Humans of New York” project, which seeks to “catalog the city’s inhabitants” through photography and brief interviews. RV seeks to expand on this project with our own “cataloging” of RV students and an examination into all the unique perspectives here at school.
Note: this transcript has been edited and condensed for publication purposes.
I believe all students deserve every opportunity to be the best versions of themselves. Students spend more time in school during their formative years surrounded by adults who have a responsibility to foster, cultivate and nurture student skills, interests and lives. I believe my role is to support all educators and learners.
I started in July 2022 and it immediately felt like home. Mr. Martin is like the older brother I never had in many ways and getting to know all of the staff and the different groups takes time – but there’s so much to learn from the students as much as from the adults. We have five different sending districts, we are diverse in many ways, this is a 9-12 district so technically it’s small but it’s like a mini city with its own distinct culture. I enjoy getting to events and being in the halls. I try to say hi to everyone even if kids don’t know who I am or what I do, it’s important they know there’s another adult in the building who can listen and who works for their best interest. I’m a mom and was a middle school principal so I treat everyone like family. Or I try to anyway. RV has so much to offer.
School has always been my safe space. I’ve been in school since I was four years old. I’ve also been a student while being a teacher, which has helped me contextualize things in public education that limit educators’ ability to do what’s best for students, and I believe that what teachers and educators do can change lives. I like working at the systems level – working with the community to provide all educators access to what they need to help students be successful and grow.
My first Red and White Night was amazing. I love the spirit week event and Devil Dash… but I did some teaching with Mrs. Alspach – she is outstanding and she shared her classroom with me but that helped me really get to know students and students got to know me. Many of those students stop by my office and they’ve introduced me to their friends. It means a lot when kids feel safe enough to maintain a relationship outside of the classroom. If they’re reading this, they know who they are.
