Brandy Howell

I initially thought I was going to be an attorney when I graduated college, but financing that was difficult for me. I've always loved school and kids, so I decided to become a teacher through a non-traditional pathway to obtain my licensure. I knew it was what I was supposed to do because in my second year, I was recommended for Teacher of the Year at my school and started getting opportunities to go to conferences and come back and present. I felt like I was walking in my purpose, like this is what God wanted me to do, because doors were opening and things just unfolded very quickly. Most of my career has been spent in high-poverty, low socioeconomic schools, and I believe that's purposeful because I come from poverty. I know what education has done for me and that education is the great equalizer. I also worked at the state department level as the Recruitment and Retention Manager for the Office of Educator Effectiveness, where I helped recruit teachers into the profession, oversaw the Arkansas Teacher of the Year, and coordinated the Milken Educator Award. Now, as principal of a K-5 elementary school with approximately 425 students, I'm the instructional leader responsible for ensuring students get high-quality instruction to produce positive student outcomes. I supervise about 55 adults and work extensively with families and the community. One thing I really value is meeting the needs of the whole child. I partnered with Tempest Realty so every student at my building received a 529 college savings plan for free with a $600 seed, and every year they can earn up to $300 in incentives. By the time they graduate, they can use that money for college, trade school, or entrepreneurship. It's really about generational change and trying to change the trajectory of a community.