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Black History Month: Celebrating Inspiring Local Leaders in Education

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In honor and celebration of Black History Month, United Way of Central Ohio has chosen to highlight three extraordinary individuals who are leading the way for our local educators and students. These inspiring individuals are superintendents of three central Ohio school districts: Melvin Brown, Ph.D., Reynoldsburg City Schools; Talisa Dixon, Ph.D., Columbus City Schools; and Sharee Wells, Whitehall City Schools. We are grateful for their vision and their partnership in creating systemic change across our community so all students have the opportunities they need to reach their full potential. We asked each to provide a bit of insight into their heroes, leadership traits and hope for the future.

Who is a famous individual or historical figure you admire and why? Who is a personal hero of yours who you credit for shaping you into the person you are today? 

Melvin Brown, Ph.D., Superintendent of Reynoldsburg City Schools: Muhammad Ali is one of my foremost heroes for standing on principal for his beliefs despite forces that worked to tear him down. I have tried to embody his attitude about life, and his respect and value for all of humanity. He never wavered in his advocacy for others and in defending his own rights and person.

Sharee Wells, Superintendent of Whitehall City Schools: The heroes and mentors in my life are innumerable, and I genuinely believe I am the sum of every experience I have had with each person who has taken the time to pour into me over the years. However, my true personal heroes are my mother and father. They are equally responsible for shaping me into the person I am today. They helped me understand the unfortunate reality that I will always have to work twice as hard to be considered half as equal as an African American female. However, they also taught me that I could accomplish anything through faith, integrity, perseverance, humility, love and respect for all people. Amanda Gorman is a newly famous individual I admire. She is a brilliant, humble, powerful, yet graceful, young lady. She represents everything that I believe about children today and that no matter your color, your gender, your disability, home, background or age, you can change and make a mark on this world. Using Amanda as an example, I would say be brave, bold and bigger than you can imagine.

 

What is one value you feel is most important to you as a community leader?

Melvin Brown, Ph.D.: A value for humanity and a strong degree of empathy.  I understand struggle because I lived it, and I respect the societal challenges that others face. I try to keep that foremost in my decision making.

Sharee Wells: Compassion. I believe as a community leader, dedication to helping, listening and learning from the people you serve and work with allows people to trust, support and follow you. Although not always easy, leading with compassion has always been worth the effort.

 

How did your career path lead you to the education field?

Melvin Brown, Ph.D.: I had the opportunity to teach an English course in the summer of 1990 for the Upward Bound program (of which I am a former student) and, despite the hesitancy I displayed in accepting that assignment, I accepted it and loved every minute of it.  Upon returning to college that following August, I immediately declared English as a major and my trek into education began.

Sharee Wells: The only careers I knew about were teaching and business as a teenager.  I wanted to pursue business and become an accountant when I began college.  However, I quickly realized that wasn’t the major for me.  After some long talks with my advisor, I discovered education was where I belonged.  I began my educational career as a middle school Spanish teacher and quickly rose into the world of education administration.

 

Students have been dealing with a lot of chaos and barriers these past few years. What makes you hopeful about the future for your students?

Melvin Brown, Ph.D.: I believe in the resilience of students and their ability to confront and overcome challenges, if we allow them to experience some adversity. They have a strong sense of empathy that was not displayed by my generation, and I hope that grows into a high sense of commitment to make our world a better place for everyone and not just for themselves.

Sharee Wells: Children are far more resilient than adults give them credit for. Although the past few years have been challenging, they have creatively found ways to learn, lead, stay connected, give back and make use of technology and social media in ways that far exceed previous generations. The exciting news that gives me hope is that they are wired differently. They are problem solvers, idea generators and extraordinary thinkers. Due to the pandemic, social media, technological advances and political unrest they have witnessed and experienced over the past few years, even at young ages, they are more vocal, socially and globally conscious, and politically aware than we ever were.

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