ROANOKE, Va. – It’s National Teacher Appreciation Week, and at Lincoln Terrace Elementary, third-grade teacher Ms. Keiara White, is making a lasting impact.
White has been with Roanoke City Schools for 13 years, but her journey as an educator began long before she entered the classroom.
“I knew from a very early age, since elementary school,” she said. “I would play school with my brother and sister. I would make worksheets and feed them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.”
Teaching runs deep in her family. Her mom was a tutor, her sister is a teacher, and her late aunt was a principal. Her family foundation, paired with the support of two high school mentors, helped solidify her passion.
“I had two inspiring teachers who allowed me to work in their classrooms after school,” she said. “Whether it was grading papers, helping with bulletin boards, and just having encouraging conversations about my post-high school plans.”
Today, White brings creativity and excitement to her students, using innovative tools like Ozobots to make learning more interesting.
“They solve multiplication facts, draw a line from one fact to the product, and then the Ozobot would track over to the answer. So, it makes it fun and engaging,” she said.
Her dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. A former. Teacher of the year at Lincoln Terrace, White is known for her patience and care, qualities that Principal Kirsten Mills says keep students coming back to visit her, years after they graduate.
“It’s just beautiful to see,” Mills said. “She brings this level of patience that allows students to be who they are while still getting the education they deserve. Many of our students come to us with so many other things outside of school, and she is able to work with them. She also works in our after-school program. Being able to not only support our students during the day, but in the after-school setting is very important.”
For Ms. White, the long hours, the planning, and the hard work are worth it.
“I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I knew what the pay would be like, but to me, the impact is more important,” White said.
“Teachers work very hard. It’s more than just what people see as summer’s off and winter breaks. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes things that happen. But for me, at the end of the day, it makes me feel like I’m doing something awesome for generations to come.”