DPSCD Teacher Mentors Young Girls to be Next Generation of Leaders
When DPSCD teacher Lisa Brooks was in second grade at Davidson Elementary School, she had a teacher who helped shape her into the women she is today. To Brooks, second grade teacher Mrs. Sims was a breath of fresh air—she was smart, well-traveled and showered her students with love. As a young girl at the time with little exposure to the world, she looked up to Mrs. Sims and immediately knew she wanted to be a teacher.
“Mrs. Sims was so beautiful and loving, she really cared about her students,” Brooks said. “She was an inspiration to me. Everything she was to me—I want to be for my students.”
Brooks organized a graduation event for the Class of 2021. Seniors and their families gathered for a short ceremony, refreshments, and a balloon release to celebrate the graduates. With help from her family, Brooks also provided each senior with a $50 gift card and a handwritten note. She also provided those who are going away for college with essentials, like laundry baskets, pillows, hangers, sheets, laundry detergent and other household items.
That special moment for graduating seniors was what led Parent and Community Ambassador Theresa Mitchell to nominate Brooks as an Everyday Hero. When sharing Brooks’ story, Mitchell said, “I wanted to ensure that I acknowledged her efforts and hard work because she is even more dedicated in the classroom.”
The last seven of Brooks’ nearly 20 years of teaching service to the District has been at Detroit International Academy for Young Women (DIA), which recently opened the doors to its newly refurbished building located at 5161 Charles Street in Detroit. Brooks teaches British and American Literature. Brooks says building relationships with her students centered on trust is the most important aspect of her job.
“It’s so important to create relationships with your scholars,” Brooks said. “If they trust you and know that you love them, there’s nothing they won’t do to achieve success.”
You too can have your child benefit from the Everyday Heroes who make up the DPSCD staff. Please visit www.detroitk12.org/enroll for more information on how you can help with your child’s rise by enrolling them in a DPSCD school. To learn more about the Detroit International Academy for Young Women and its renowned career path curriculum in Biomedical Science and Veterinary Medicine, please visit the school’s website at https://www.detroitk12.org/domain/1946. #StudentsRise.