"I saw how important education was for my grandmother, and I wanted to make sure I gave that same love for education to other children in my community.

The most rewarding part of this work is the ability to impact the future. Every child we serve is a future, a nation of possibility. Sitting in this role, I get to lay the foundation for greatness, to push them toward what I know they can be. Seeing these little minds, pouring into them, laying the foundation for their education—this is what it's all about. I know this is setting them up to be phenomenal.

We're not just here to measure success by a number. Success is when my students come to school with joy, running through the doors without looking back, so eager to learn. It’s when I see them talking about what they’ve learned, excited about counting by tens, figuring out patterns. It’s the smiles on their faces, the engagement of their families. Success is about the whole child—their happiness, their confidence, their growth.

If we give our students what they need, if we center justice and fight against the stigmas that tell them they aren’t capable, we can break the barriers. I know what it is to be a first-generation college student. I know what it is to push through. And that’s why I’m here—because I believe in them. If we close the gaps, remove the labels, we will see them become the greatness they were always meant to be.

The experience at Ascend is about allowing our children to be bold, creative, and to advocate for themselves. From the very start, we teach them that their voices matter. We encourage them to speak up—not just for themselves but for each other. We teach them that their voices are powerful, that they will need them when they go out into the world, whether they become the next president, the next talk show host, or anything they dream of.

To be a teacher, you have to love the work. I call love a quality because if you don’t love this work, you won’t show up the way these students need you to. This takes everything—it takes time, energy, commitment. These are our babies. If you love the work, everything else will fall into place. You will want to learn, to grow, to give your best to these students every single day.

If you send your child to Ascend, I guarantee they will be loved. They will feel the heart of the teachers pouring into them every day. They will feel safe. And they will leave kindergarten reading. Our babies are reading, and that means the world is at their hands. I lead with curiosity, and I lead with love. I tell my staff, we assume the best. We ask questions instead of judging. We lead with empathy because love is what will take us where we need to go. Our children feel it. Our families feel it. And that’s why we are thriving the way we are.

Education isn’t just my job—it’s my ministry. I don’t just believe in the children who walk through these doors; I believe in their families, in their futures. That’s why I do what I do—to touch as many lives as I can, to spread love as far as possible."

-S'ken Evans