I have made it my goal as an education professional, and also as a parent, to teach students how to think, not what to think- to empower them with reading and critical thinking skills, as it is the foundation of all knowledge. I am passionate about improving our literacy rate, as reading unlocks opportunities. I believe our students have bright futures ahead, but in this current climate we are in an up-hill battle trying to overcome the achievement gap. It can be done. Our teachers are our greatest resource. Schools partnering with parents/guardians will be essential to achieving student success at every level in this difficult time and beyond.