To Whom it May Concern:
I first met Melody Brinkley as, “Mrs. Brinkley,” my Dean of Students, in my sophomore year of high school. That was six years ago. She was a glowing and warm personality at Maranatha Christian Academy (MCA), who led the staff with her passion for helping students learn, no matter their circumstances, and believing that every student could succeed. Mrs. Brinkley made sure to know each student by name and was known for having an open-door policy, where students were able to come to her office with any issue and she would point them in the right direction.
Due to the small school atmosphere at MCA, Mrs. Brinkley wore many hats. I remember some of the best events and initiatives through the school being her ideas. On top of her duties as Dean of Students, Mrs. Brinkley was also the Faculty Advisor for our High School Student Council. This is where I got to know her particularly well, since she treated our group like family. We went camping retreats, she hosted us at her house for game nights and also had us over for the much-anticipated holiday party. She shared advice with us and helped us navigate high school both academically and emotionally. I remember opening up to her about a family problem I was having at home that I didn’t know how to deal with. She was quick to create a safe environment in her office, where I could talk through things until I left feeling confident that I could do something productive. And that is what she always did. She was a confidence-builder for everyone she was around.
She would never shy away from telling someone where they could improve in their work, but was also the first one to praise their pivots, encouraging them and shining a spotlight on their improvement. She went above and beyond for us, nominating students and our student council for awards every year, showing us that our work was remarkable, and we deserved to get recognition for it. I can think of multiple students who are where they are now because she gave them the initial confidence boost to get there. She cheered on the staff to be the best they could be, praising our teachers who were excelling, and giving shout outs to anyone in the school who was making a positive impact on the community. She announced our chapels, not only informing us of all that was going on in the school, but bridging the gap between students and administration, letting us know that we could come to her with ideas and complaints alike. She was there for us.
Throughout my six years knowing Mrs. Brinkley, three of them as her student, she has always been a mentor to me, helping me navigate my life choices, and getting me to where I am today. From after school rambling sessions where I just spewed out my concerns and she patiently sat there until I was ready to receive feedback, to me asking her for a letter of recommendation for colleges, since I knew she was one of the people who knew me best. She has always been there for me, just like she was there for the students of Maranatha Christian Academy.
I think that Melody Brinkley deserves to be on the District 279 School Board because she is qualified to do so. But more so than that, I know she deserves to be on it because she cares about students and has the creativity to make all students succeed, not just some. While some may build models where most students have the capability of achieving their goals, Mrs. Brinkley builds models that show all students what their goals are capable of being. Now more than ever, we need someone fighting for everyone, taking all ideas into account, and someone to help bring them together into something harmonious that will benefit all. Melody Brinkley is the right person to make this happen.
Elise Moore Johns Hopkins University Student Former MCA Student Council President