“My family moved from Starkville, Mississippi to Minneapolis, Minnesota and I was not happy,” Courtney said. “It was a real culture shock and I told my parents that I would one day return to Mississippi.”
Courtney’s path back home took a rather circuitous route, through Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts where she studied International Relations and prepared for law school. She quickly realized that wasn’t the career she really wanted to pursue.
Though she comes from a family of educators – her parents are college professors – teaching was not a consideration for Courtney until she was introduced to Teach for America (TFA).
“I went to the TFA website and found that Mississippi was a regional placement opportunity and I saw this as a way to get back home,” she said.
Courtney was placed in Clarksdale, Mississippi and taught 7th and 8th grade language arts for three years. She then entered the Mississippi Principal Corps Leadership Program at the University of Mississippi for one year, and in 2012 she became principal at Clarksdale’s Booker T. Washington Elementary School.
“It was quite a challenge for a new principal,” she recalls. “It was considered a turnaround project, but a lot of my colleagues with a passion for teaching children jumped in and really helped lead our efforts. All I did was make sure they had the resources, skills and development opportunities to help them better do their jobs.”
In Courtney’s three years at Booker T. Washington, the school enjoyed greater parental involvement and retained more teachers. Most important, student achievement increased as indicated by both test scores and culture shifts at the school.
“We changed the culture there by establishing new expectations for academic success, and that’s huge,” she commented.
Now, Courtney is in her first few months as managing director of teacher leadership development for Teach for America in Mississippi, where she can impact multiple schools in her home state by providing direct support and training to teachers.
“I have a passion for the Delta and Mississippi – it’s my home,” Courtney says.
"There’s an old saying here: ‘Don’t come in with a cape; come in with a jersey.’"
“In other words, this area is not looking for a savior; it’s looking for people who want to be part of a team that works together to find solutions to generational problems.”
Courtney says TFA combined with the Delta offers a unique opportunity for those who want to make a difference in the lives of children.
“Like anything, you get back what you put in, but in the Delta one can make a quick, positive and lasting impact on children and families. That continues to be my goal – to do great things for kids,” Courtney said.
