Douglass Senior Discovers Call through Teaching & Learning

Alayshia’s journey began in elementary school, when she was still learning how to navigate school expectations and her own potential. “I had a little rough patch at the start,” she recalled. One of the educators who recognized Alayshia's potential was Lindsay Wallace, her first-grade teacher at Dixie Magnet Elementary, and that early foundation of support began to change how Alayshia saw herself. “My behaviors started to improve. Eventually, I was getting honor roll. My teachers really impacted my life,” she said. 

Those experiences did more than improve Alayshia’s academics. They sparked a belief that she could one day become that same source of encouragement for others. That belief became a calling through Frederick Douglass’ Teaching & Learning pathway, where Alayshia discovered a passion for working with children and a future in education.

“When you have a teacher that is so good to you and looks after you, sees you as a student and as family, that makes you want to be just like that teacher,” Alayshia said. “I wouldn't have made it this far without the teachers I have had. That makes me want to be like that for someone else's child.”

The calling became real this year when Alayshia returned to Dixie as a teaching assistant in Wallace's class. “Alayshia's success story is one of my favorites,” said Wallace, who has watched her grow “from a bouncy first grader to a high school senior.” “Her ability to build meaningful connections with students is what will make her a remarkable teacher,” Wallace said.

Working alongside Wallace and directly with young students has given Alayshia a full-circle experience that deepened her understanding of teaching and confirmed her career plans. Through that firsthand experience and her work in the Teaching & Learning pathway, Alayshia strengthened her academics, raised her GPA, and became an active volunteer supporting students through classroom and enrichment opportunities​ like Junior Achievement. Most importantly, she gained insight into what she now describes as her purpose.

“Teaching is a calling — something I have to do with my life,” said Alayshia, who this fall will major in elementary education at the University of Kentucky.

Iris Isaacs, the Teaching & Learning pathway educator at Frederick Douglass, said Alayshia’s journey is a powerful reminder of the impact that meaningful learning opportunities, supportive educators, and student perseverance can have. “We are incredibly proud of her accomplishments and excited to see the difference she will make in the lives of future students,” Isaacs said. 

Alayshia’s story also reflects the heart of Fayette County Public Schools’ Teaching & Learning pathway, which will expand districtwide this fall — creating authentic, real-world experiences that allow students to learn alongside seasoned educators and to discover that teaching is not just a career choice, but a calling that has the power to shape generations.

Alayshia has found various ways to connect with the younger students at Dixie. “Teaching is a calling — something I have to do with my life,” she said.