The Bright Initiative

Meet Shayla Ivezzy! From Northeast Ohio, Shayla is an educator & equity advocate. With a B.A. in Philosophy from Spelman College & M.S. in Educational Studies from Johns Hopkins University, she champions systemic change. As a first-generation college grad, Shayla aims to break barriers for inner-city youth. Her journey, from juvenile diversion work to Teach for America, underscores her commitment to equity. Shayla aspires to lead transformative change, believing in diverse coalitions for educational equity. Through BRIGHT, she aims to empower others through educational excellence.

Q1: Describe a personal skill or quality that you believe sets you apart as a future educational leader. How do you plan to leverage this strength in your future role?
A1: One of the skills that sets me apart as a leader is having strong emotional intelligence. This skill allows me to connect with and positively influence others. I plan to leverage EQ to get the best out of the people I lead by connecting them to purposeful work, building capacity, and leveraging their strengths and interests for schoolwide improvement.

Q2: Reflect on your growth and evolution as a student from your early academic years to now. How has your perception of leadership and education changed, and how does this influence your aspirations in the field of education?
A2: When I think about my evolution as a student until now, I think about the disparate outcomes and experiences I observed between myself and others. I was the beneficiary of a "quality education” as a result of my mother going into debt, to send me to school outside of my neighborhood. As a student, I was aware of the differences between myself and others but often attributed them to individual aptitude. As I matriculated through school, I began to have a deeper understanding of systemic inequities and how schools shape student outcomes. My journey as an educator began with the deep conviction that all students deserve to find a quality education within their community. As a school leader, I get to bring this lens into my broader leadership and effectuate systems-level change in the pursuit of an excellent and equitable education for all students.

Q3: Reflect on a challenging interaction or conflict you encountered during your K-12 principal internship. How did you manage it, and what strategies did you employ to maintain a positive and productive environment?
A3: I approach managing conflict through human-centered design. This has helped me to maintain a positive and productive environment where people can embrace conflict as a natural occurrence in our organization's growth. My approach includes: understanding the expectations and needs of the various stakeholder groups I manage; leading with curiosity, not judgment (which looks like asking reflective questions, active listening, and acknowledging the problem- an approach that I have coined as AAA); and integrating restorative practices.

Learn more at bright.osu.edu

Introducing Lazaro G. Fuentes Jr. (he/him/his) from central Ohio! With a B.A. in History and an M.S. in Sports & Recreation Sciences, Lazaro has a diverse background. Lazaro was the Director of Recreation Sports at an OSU regional campus. His commitment to youth development and creating inclusive environments has led him to join BRIGHT, where he will continue to shape future leaders.

Q1: Share when you received constructive feedback or criticism about your education or leadership. How did you respond to the input, and what changes or improvements did you make based on it?
A1: My future vision as an educational leader is to create a positive and inclusive school culture for all students through various strategies. These strategies include prioritizing positive relationships, collaborating with staff for professional development opportunities, fostering a growth mindset in the curriculum, and developing partnerships with community organizations. The challenges highlighted in achieving this vision include staff resistance to change, addressing cultural and behavioral issues within the existing school structures, and sustaining the strategies for transformational change over time.

Q2: Describe a goal or vision for your future role as an educational leader. How do you plan to achieve this goal, and what challenges or obstacles do you anticipate?
A2: Receiving constructive feedback can be a valuable opportunity for growth. I am receptive to feedback related to improving disciplinary conversations with students. This experience leads to adjustments in approach to be more supportive and inclusive. I am now more effective in approaching situations with empathy and understanding, handling situations more nuanced and tailored to the student’s needs and integrating these lessons into my leadership style.

Q3: Describe a situation where you had to demonstrate cultural competence/sensitivity during your K-12 principal internship. How did you respect and respond to the needs and backgrounds of your students, staff, and families, and how do you see cultural competence playing a role in your future leadership?
A3: I demonstrated cultural competence in my internship. Many students from diverse backgrounds were consistently late to school due to various challenges, including transportation issues, family responsibilities, and socioeconomic barriers. I stressed the importance of time management and punctuality when talking to students. I openly discussed my challenges and aimed to create a supportive environment by empathizing with students’ needs. Ensuring the staff and families feel respected and supported. Looking ahead to my future leadership role, I recognize the vital role of cultural competence in creating an inclusive and supportive educational environment, acknowledging their perspectives and experiences where every student feels valued, understood, and empowered to succeed.

Learn more about Lazaro and BRIGHT’s other fellows here: bright.osu.edu

Introducing Richara M. Richardson, Ed.D., a distinguished leader in urban education from Southwest Ohio. With a diverse educational background and a commitment to excellence, Richara brings innovative ideas and a wealth of experience to any educational setting. Read on to explore her impactful journey and contributions!

Q1 Discuss an extracurricular activity or community involvement that has significantly influenced your leadership capabilities and how you integrate these experiences into your educational path.
A: I am a volunteer mentor for Ladies of Leadership a program that works to build leadership skills for young ladies in the inner city. As I work to help these young ladies tackle through some of their day to day challenges that involve bullying, mental illness, poverty, and academic struggles, it reminds me to be more attentive to the students of whom I am serving at the schools and to work with the leadership team to ensure that we have systems and resources in place at the building level to help staff and students address trauma or other factors which may alter students’ ability to be successful.

Q2 Reflect on when you had to navigate a resource limitation in an educational project. How did you overcome these challenges, and what did this experience teach you about resourcefulness in leadership?
A: Many of our students and families have limited funds and resources. So the school for many years has provided the students with Holiday Help, which could include food baskets, coats, uniforms and gifts. However, school year funds were very limited this year, so we reached out to our school partners and local businesses in the community who were able to assist our families with these efforts. As a leader, I understand that opportunities to assist students may change annually, however having the ability to reach out to the community to build partnerships and relationships to create an effective village are important in helping to meet the needs and ensure the overall success for our students.

Q3 Reflect on a challenging interaction you encountered during your K-12 principal internship. How did you manage it, and what strategies did you employ to maintain a positive and productive environment?
A: I have a student who receives half day educational support at another facility. When the transportation van arrived to pick the student up one day, the student had an altercation with another student who was already on the van. My student was removed from the van and brought back into the school and their parent was contacted to pick them up. The parent was upset that the student did not make their next destination and did not want to pick up the student. However, we worked with the parent to come up with a plan to prevent the student from repeating these behaviors. I also was able to do some restorative practices with the student to help them to be able to work through future emotions and to understand the consequences of their actions.