For more than a decade, Christyna Sherrod has been a constant presence at Life Prep, growing alongside her students — starting as a paraprofessional, stepping into her role as a school counselor, and now serving as the Assistant Director. Each role has made an impact in the way she cares for students, but her purpose has always stayed the same: to help every child learn both academically and emotionally, while growing into the well-rounded adults she knows they can become. 

She’s seen firsthand how much the world asks of young students — both inside and outside the classroom. “Mental health is such an important piece in schools,” she shares, especially in an age where technology has become such a prominent aspect in the lives of students. And for Christyna, supporting students means educating them beyond academic learning. It’s also nurturing their voices, confidence and their ability to understand and navigate big emotions. “Not just in academics …. More so in social emotional learning.” she says, because for her, helping young learners foster these lifelong skills, is just as critical to their education as any lesson plan. 

As a counselor, that commitment extended far beyond scheduled sessions. She made conscious efforts to create safe spaces where students knew they could come to talk, decompress and connect with her or other students. Behind these intentional endeavors, an idea of growing community came to fruition. Christyna hosted “lunch bunches”, where students could gather with their meals, while conversing and learning together — simple, intimate moments that made real differences in their lives. But the tools she needed for those moments, things like whiteboard markers and laminated placemats, weren’t covered. “A lot of that came out of my own pocket,” she explains. 

“Being able to have the tools for my students just made me breathe a breath of fresh air,” Christyna Sherrod Assistant Director

Kids In Need Foundation changed that. “Kids In Need put the tools in my students’ hands,” giving her what she needed to support her students without worry or sacrifice. With access to those simple but essential items to her initiative, she could focus on what mattered most — the students. “Being able to have the tools for my students just made me breathe a breath of fresh air,” she reflects. “Just knowing I didn’t have to spend that money.” 

Christyna shows what it means to lead with heart — meeting children where they are, tending to the parts of growing up that tests can’t measure, and believing deeply in their capacity to learn, feel, and become. And with support behind her, she continues helping every student find strength in themselves — inside the classroom and far beyond it.

Read more stories about educators like Christyna

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Every day, teachers show up for their students with passion, creativity, and dedication—but too many of them are doing it without the supplies they need to create the learning environments their students deserve. No teacher should have to choose between giving their students the best education possible and paying out of pocket for basic classroom materials.

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