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Educator Spotlight | Michelle Lyons

Michelle was born and raised in Carbon Hill, Alabama where she was the starting quarterback for Carbon Hill High School’s all-girls full contact football team! She wore number 32 is recognition of Franco Harris and OJ Simpson.

“I could throw a pretty sharp pass, and when playing cornerback on defense, I sent my share of receivers to the sidelines for the reminder of the game!” Michelle reminisces. 

Michelle still enjoys football – always rooting for Alabama, Auburn, or the underdog (when they’re not playing Alabama or Auburn of course)!

After her stint on the high school football team, Michelle got her associate degree in nursing – even though she’d never been in a hospital before starting the program! She soon discovered that her purpose was to be an educator.

Recently, she celebrated a victory with CPD’s Dean of Culture, Bridgette Simmons. At first, Michelle thought there was an emergency when she heard, “Ms. Lyons, there has been a shift in the building,” over the walkie talkie. She quickly summoned Bridgette to her office when she learned that there was a mindset shift with some scholars. Two 3rd grade students that formerly spent a lot of their time in the reset room were crying because they’d made a low grade on their science assessment. The students asked Bridgette for help and she obliged with vocabulary cards and study sessions. 

“It’s simply amazing when children start to believe in themselves and take the position of ‘If you teach me, I will learn’.” Michelle beams.

When Michelle isn’t serving the staff, scholars, and families of CPD, she enjoys concerts, sports, and dancing. Recently, she has even taken some Chicago stepping classes!