Go Titans! Inspirational posters, beaming smiles, splashes of bright colors, and halls decked out in signature neon & navy — this was what the sight that greeted me as I stepped into the doors of Richards Middle School.
Immediately, I was introduced to the delightful Ms. Felisha Strong, who is an assistant principal. Ms. Strong began as an English teacher for about eight years at Richards before making the transition to assistant principal.
Entering her second year as an administrator, Ms. Strong has one personal mission: To motivate. Being an administrator, she hopes to reach more students and explore a wider vision. Ms. Strong’s one hope for all students is that they can see all the potential, promise, and character he/she has like the way she views them. She also wants students to know that mistakes shape who we are and mistakes are learning opportunities.
In an effort to connect more with the students, every Wednesday morning Ms. Strong shows a motivational video. Students like it and will stop her in the hall to talk about the videos occasionally.
Being an administrator feels great to her because she knows she is a part of helping to shape a student into their best possible self. When asked why she chose to be an educator in a middle school, Ms. Strong exclaimed, “Middle school is the best. It’s the place where students figure out who they are or want to be!”
More specifically, when asked about Richards’ culture, Ms. Strong had one word to sum it up — family. The Richards environment has a culture that promotes family and acceptance. There is no other place Ms. Strong would rather be than Richards Middle School. However, the vision does not stop at Richards for Ms. Strong. One day, she aspires to become an educational consultant. For now, you find Ms. Strong roaming the halls of Richards Middle with a walkie-talkie and a smile, letting students know “it always seems impossible until it’s done.”
