Ms. Holness

As a former Caseworker in preventative services, I realized that the focus of most of my cases was education. Family heads sought assistance to stabilize and monitor the academic progress of their children. My caseload included families at the brink of homelessness , individuals with mental health issues and women in shelters. There was a common thread that intensified with the arrival of each new case—in each situation, children were negatively impacted.

As I visited families, each client became more than just a name on a file—they all told stories, meaningful ones and the most popular theme was bettering themselves in order to strengthen their children.

Why do I teach? I teach because your stories matter. The healthy development of children matters. It is a great privilege to teach and a reward to know that perhaps, somewhere along the line, my words might echo in the background of a meaningful story.