Servant Leader Apprentice Spotlight Feature
The Freedom School Literacy Academy serves as a place for learning, curiosity exploration, and skill building. A Servant Leadership Apprentice who embodies all these traits is Aremoni Chambers. Aremoni is already a pro when it comes to teaching. She majored in elementary education with a concentration in early childhood development and language arts and is due to graduate in December. Coming into the program with her current breadth of knowledge made her an instant leader and dependable resource for her colleagues.
Aremoni believes that the championing of Blackness is what drew her to the program. "[The Freedom School Literacy Academy] really taps into what being Black is and embracing your Blackness. Making sure we get more Black teachers into the education system is what stuck with me the most. And what made me want to come to this program." She believes it is important for children to have a reflection of themselves in their school environment. She said, "these babies open up as much as they do so fast, and they cling so fast [because] it's just like an aunt or an uncle or [whoever] being at home, you look like me, I'm comfortable being here with you."
The deep wisdom and forethought that Aremoni exhibits are extraordinary. When asked why it is important for Black youth to pursue a career in education and advice on considering the Black teacher pipeline fellowship, Aremoni said, "teachers are the foundation for everything. Everything that is learned is taught to you, whether you're taught in person, whether you're taught through video, a teacher is teaching you. We need more Black educators. Don't be afraid to be yourself. Don't be afraid to get creative. Be open to constructive criticism because as a teacher, yes, you're teaching, but you're always learning. There's always something to learn."
