Meet Sierra Ware of Millennials in Education in Dekalb County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sierra Ware.

Sierra, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
You never realize how corrupt a system is until you work directly in it. When examining the world of education, you will discover there’s a divide. While all kids are supposed to be granted a free appropriate education, that doesn’t always happen. The world has this preconceived notion that area code or zip code determines the quality of education a child receives. This mindset alone is one of the biggest issues in our education system. Entering into the world of education, I was placed at a school in a high poverty area, what many would refer to as “the hood.” I was so upset. It was one of those situations where I didn’t know better due to the stereotypes that were pressed into my head. I felt I was out of place. Shortly after, I realized my purpose in my placement. When I entered the classroom, I realized the profession of education was not going to be an easy ride. Some days, I would feel like I had it all together, other days, I felt like giving up. Moreover, each day, I knew I had a purpose in that classroom. I was able to push children to new levels. I found ways to make kids who hated coming to school, begin to love coming to school. Kids were excited about learning and that gave me so much life!

While I knew I was walking in my purpose, I understood that with purpose comes to pressure. I had different beliefs on many things. I believe in my students on a whole different level. I believe in affirming my students and going beyond the curriculum to do that. I believe in the power of relationships and I know where there’s no relationship, there’s no connection. As I conversed with other educators, I realized I was not alone. We all experienced those days when we want to throw the whole day away and other days we want to just walk away but we know we have a purpose in education. Millennials in education were birthed out of my desire to inspire. I have a true passion for teaching and I wanted others to feel that! Everyone deserves a great teacher regardless of area code or zip code. Even with its many challenges, I understand the demand for passionate and dedicated teachers. We live in a world where everyone wants to be on top, to the extent that drive and passion have almost become contagious. I knew that if others saw how on fire I am for teaching and how other educators are on fire for teaching, then that would push them to strive for greatness in this profession.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Education is pure politics. It is not easy being purpose driven in a political profession. Many people are afraid of change or fear to do what makes others uncomfortable. Often times, I get a lot of push back because I put our kids first. We always tell children to respect adults, but somebody has to be bold enough to tell adults they need to respect these children. In a system where many are set up to fail, I set out to be sure our youth know the many opportunities that are available to them. That pisses many people off. Purpose over politics is what I operate by. Another obstacle I’ve faced is being young and driven. Many people are intimidated by the Millennial in the workforce and it causes pressure. My message to any millennial on the rise is; being the youngest to do it doesn’t make you a rookie and it definitely does not make you inexperienced. Be bold in whatever you do. Follow your passion, walk in your purpose and who cares if it pisses someone off. Remember your assignment. Do not let anyone get you out of alignment.

Please tell us about Millennials in Education – what should we know?
Every child deserves a great teacher, and we set out to promote that. The focus of Millennials in Education is to produce, develop and strengthen effective educators. We help teachers become more culturally relevant, advocate for all students and give back to communities in need through education integrated community outreach. Millennials in Education offers professional development and learning communities for teachers to thrive together. Through our website, we offer inspirational and informative blogs for young professionals and anyone who has a connection to children. We shine a light on issues in our educational system to spark change. One of our community outreach initiatives is allowing children to receive an active enrichment learning experience outside of the school setting. We work to bring things that are abnormal to education. We strive to create an unimaginable educational experience for our youth. This summer we will be pushing out virtual tutoring services, where elite educators in specific learning fields will extend online tutoring services to students around the world. We are not perfect educators, we have just perfected some strategies and instructional practices that work!!!!

Outside of the educational experience, we have merchandise which has been a huge hit. We have Inspirational tees with quotes and sayings that support our mission and vision. A few of our shirt sayings are “Make Intelligence Great Again.” “Well behaved teachers rarely ever make a difference”, “Purpose over Politics, and “Let the Millennial Handle It.” These are just a few of the many t-shirt designs we offer. Other items available for purchase include: teacher created educational resources. All products and resources can be found on the website.
Looking forward, we are in the works of planning motivational conferences and social events to push others to walk boldly and confidently in their purpose.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’ve had the pleasure of coming into contact with some amazing people in my lifetime. They say you can tell a lot about how God feels about you, by the people he places in your life. I have some amazing mentors, family, and friends who have literally been my backbone from startup. My biggest inspiration and motivation is my students. Each and every child I come into contact with pushes me to keep going. Each and every individual who short change our youth drives Millennial in Education. The experiences we have in the schools is what keeps Millennials in Education going. There’s no one person to give credit to, not even myself. God just keeps doing his thing and I’m grateful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.millennialsineducation.com
• Email: info@millennialsineducation.com
• Instagram: @Millennialsineducation
• Twitter: @MillennialsinEd

Image Credit:
@Bjaiavenue

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