When I was young, I never envisioned myself working in education. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton University and a law degree from UT, I was off to become a lawyer until I began teaching criminal justice for extra work in low-income areas around Austin. What I saw during that time changed my life forever.
Not only was I seeing students who didn't look like me, but I was seeing students who learned because they wanted to, not because they had to or because a university or Ivy league school was the end goal for them. Most didn't even know what an Ivy league was.
After that experience, I changed my career path, earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Columbia University, and began pursuing a career in education. I specifically wanted to work in a charter school system because I was inspired by those students who wanted to be at school. Charter schools in particular give underprivileged, and often minority, students opportunities they might not receive otherwise, and I knew I wanted to be a part of those students’ stories, ensuring they have the resources that I was fortunate enough to have. After nine years in education, I became the founding principal at IDEA Rundberg College Prep in 2015, continuing my goal of touching the lives of these motivated scholars.
At IDEA Public Schools, we add a grade level each year until fully scaled. I started this journey with a group of 6th graders, and soon they will walk the stage at graduation, each of them college bound. I appreciate the IDEA model because it has allowed me the chance to work more closely with our students and grow each year with them.
Now, after over seven years with these exceptional students, they will be the first class to graduate from IDEA Rundberg and they will all attend college in the fall.
As each scholar walked across the stage at College Signing Day on April 26, making their official announcement to their friends and family where they will be going to school following graduation, it was a privilege to see the pride and excitement on their faces as they being to prepare for the next chapter of their lives.
This class in particular has faced myriad challenges through COVID but continued to push through at every turn, which makes me even more optimistic for their futures. I couldn’t be more proud of each of them, as if they were my own kids, for their perseverance and attitude the entire way.
Most principals don’t get the chance to stay with students for this long in their educational life. I had an obligation to continue to push these students every step of the way, and I can’t believe we finally made it. I am honored that I got to play even a small part in these kids’ lives.
The Class of 2022 will always hold a special place in my heart. We achieved great things together – but the best is yet to come. I am looking forward to staying in touch with the students as they continue their academic careers over the next four years and can’t wait to see what they’ll achieve next.
Taylor Nichols is the principal of IDEA Rundberg College Prep in Austin.