Her Story
About Kristal
Kristal Bush is a high school principal at a charter school with about 15 years of experience in education. She began her career in an after-school enrichment program through Communities in Schools, worked with first-generation students to support college access, served in group homes to help girls stay on track with their education, and spent several years as a teacher before advancing to her current role. Bush holds a high school diploma from Wichita, Kansas, a bachelor's degree in psychology and a bachelor's in criminal justice from Wichita State University, and a master's in educational leadership from Palace Theological Seminary completed in 2015. In her first year as principal, she led the turnaround of a D-rated campus to an A rating, demonstrating dedication to student success through resource provision, character building, community partnerships, and a focus on graduation. She is a member of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and partners with Houston City College on honors college and military programs for students. Her advice to others emphasizes remembering one's why and extending grace.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kristal
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Never forget your why. If you're in it, definitely for the kids. It makes all of the hard days worth it. And then I always tell my students, even when we have a difficult day with a student, new grace and new mercy is the very next day. We're here to start all over again. I'm still going to be in your corner. So remembering that, everybody needs a fresh start, including yourself, so not holding on to all of the negativity, and only being able to control yourself. So at the end of the day, making sure that your heart is in the right place. And making sure that your heart is for the students. Making sure that when those tough days, you look at maybe one of your models or you have it saved on your screensaver on your phone or you have it printed out, but your why is definitely going to carry you through some of the darkest moments in education.
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