Kris Bailey’s story challenges preconceived notions. He is a non-traditional student who grew up in Manhattan, Kansas, and moved to Kansas City, Kansas, when he was 12. Raised by his grandparents, the teenager dealt with a new school and struggled to fit in. He tested into Sumner Academy, an international baccalaureate school, where he decided to become a social studies teacher. Bailey strives to be a role model for African-American men who want to become teachers.