Resilient Conversations & The Power of Community
Grounding and Invigorating Experience
Attending the TFA 35th Anniversary Summit in Las Vegas was such a grounding and invigorating experience. Reconnecting with fellow alumni and meeting so many passionate lifelong educators at the SERP booth reminded me of the deep, enduring impact of this community.
Between booth conversations and catching up with old friends, I had the chance to sit in on some incredible mainstage panels/performances and hear from speakers who spoke directly to the heart of what keeps us doing this work.
Margaret Troyer (Baltimore ’03) and Kala Jones (Miami-Dade ’15) repping SERP at the TFA 35th Anniversary Summit!
Common sharing reflections on resilience, community, and purpose.
Finding Strength in the Work
One of the most resonant themes of the weekend was resilience—not as an abstract concept, but as an active practice rooted in community:
Inspiration & Intention:
Common spoke about what fuels long-term commitment in education, noting that resilience comes from working with people doing the work. He challenged us to stay proactive even when the path gets tough:
Make an effort, be intentional about it and be willing to go to the uncomfortable place.
Holding Hope:
It’s easy to focus solely on the obstacles facing our schools, but Common reminded us of the importance of balance:
We acknowledge the difficult times, but we have to acknowledge the hopeful times as well.
Ms. Lauryn Hill performing on stage at the TFA 35th Anniversary Summit
Education as a Tool for Community Expansion
Ms. Lauryn Hill brought an unforgettable message about the transformative, intergenerational power of education. She reminded us
that education should be accessible for all and that it is
never too late to develop, never too late to learn.
During her remarks, she shared a vision of community uplift that deeply connected with me:
When people feel better about themselves, they then can treat themselves better, they can treat their neighbors better, communities grow... We want to make sure that we direct education and love to communities where people have been told that they can't achieve... so entire families can marvel and expand together.
Translating Inspiration into Action
Listening to these conversations reinforced why we do what we do at SERP—and why I’m so passionate about hosting SERP Stories.
While Season 1 was about the people doing the work, Season 2 is a journalistic audit of the systems those people work inside of. I'm taking the podcast on the road—from the classrooms of the Mississippi Delta to Miami-Dade—to explore how local decisions shape a child's shot at becoming a strong reader.
At the center of this season is proof that these gaps aren't inevitable, especially for our oldest struggling readers. That’s where
STARI (Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention) comes in. STARI isn't just about decoding and fluency; it uses engaging, debate-rich topics that give middle school students a platform to speak, collaborate, and rebuild their confidence as readers and thinkers.
Beyond literacy, it was incredible connecting with so many summit attendees who were eager to learn about SERP's full suite of classroom-tested tools—including
WordGen for cross-curricular vocabulary and discussion, as well as our worked-example math interventions,
Algebra by Example and
Geometry by Example.
When we invest in educators, honor student dignity, and build better systems, we aren't just improving test scores, we're helping entire communities grow and expand together.
I left Las Vegas energized for what’s ahead as we launch Season 2 and continue making sure zip code doesn't get the final word in education!