Value in the Struggle

By Leslie Cranford, section manager

Keetha Chadwick has always had a deep desire to inspire and motivate others. Her 19 years in education show her self-professed passion for making and maintaining connections with students in hopes that she can make a positive impact on their lives.

This passion eventually evolved into a desire to make a broader impact as an administrator. Now she is one of the assistant principals at Texas Tech K-12, serving students in the adult learning program. The grant-funded program through the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) allows adult learners to earn a GED or acquire a high school diploma.

In the changing landscape of education, Keetha sees Texas Tech K-12 as an alternative for students to reach their goals in a way that supports their individual paths.

“The traditional brick and mortar system is wonderful for some students and meets their needs very well. However, there are students that need a different approach,” she said. “Texas Tech K-12 has a wide variety of programs designed to meet students where they are. The adult learning program is one of those programs.”

Grateful to be a part of such an innovative program, Keetha not only gets to work with highly intelligent and dedicated people, but she also gets to work with people who truly have a heart for education.

Keetha references the school’s amazing team of teachers, support staff, advisers and administrators who help the program run smoothly and grow. Her current primary role is to work with the TWC behind the scenes to ensure that the school is in compliance with the grant protocols.

Many of her duties include systems improvement, data entry and facilitating communication across systems. She enjoys developing processes that make it easy to track the progress of their learners and streamline their efforts to keep them engaged and successful.

“I love being able to play a part in the journeys of our students aiming to improve their lives and the lives of their families by achieving their goals,” Keetha said.

Her own goal is for her team to provide such a high level of support that the number of students who attain their GED or high school diploma grows exponentially in the coming years. For many students that journey is a battle, but as a longtime educator, she has wise advice for the adult students.

“We tell our students there is value in the struggle,” Keetha offers. “We all have the capacity to do hard things. When people have to dig deep and work hard to accomplish a goal, the lessons that are learned will carry over into all aspects of life.”