特蕾莎修女Flynn-Everett Alumna of the Year

特里萨·弗林-埃弗雷特，97年, MA ’08, is principal at Perris Elementary School in Riverside county, a professional speaker 和 author, 和 CUI’s Alumna of the Year: Professional Development.

“I was emotional when I got the email [about winning],” says Flynn-Everett. “欧文康考迪亚大学 has such a sweet spot in my heart. I was a young girl coming from Lowell High School in San Francisco, moving to Irvine—to this wonderfully Lutheran community, 和 I felt so at home 和 loved. So the nomination by Lanette Francovich 和 confirmation by the 崔校友会 谦卑和特别吗. This award is for my loving family who always emphasized the power of education.”

Flynn-Everett研究 自由研究 和 儿童发展, intending to go to law school, but took another path instead. After more than eight years working in information technology business development, she plunged into teaching grade-school children in the district where she presently works. She returned to CUI to earn her 硕士学位 和 管理证书, which helped when she was promoted to assistant principal, then principal in 2013 at a school that was in school improvement.

Under Flynn-Everett’s leadership, the schools she led received numerous recognitions, including: a Civic Learning Award of Merit; a Title I Academic Achievement; a Gold Ribbon for Best Practices in Teaching; 和 the Western Riverside County Association of School Managers Principal of the Year honor.

她的前老板, 文森特·庞塞, superintendent emeritus in the Perris Elementary School District, calls Flynn-Everett “a high-energy, visionary leader who was integral to the leadership team we selected to move Perris Elementary School District from a traditional school district to a district of innovation with new opportunities for all students. Teresa’s strong interpersonal skills 和 natural sense of humor made her one of the most effective members of this team.”

Currently, Flynn-Everett is pursuing her doctoral degree in educational leadership 在崔, 和 she is thankful for her current boss, superintendent Jean Marie Fréy, for mentorship in her studies, 领导力及其他. Flynn-Everett works with “a wonderful team” at Perris Elementary.

“MLK has a great quote about education being about building character, 不仅仅是学习,弗林-埃弗雷特说. “Our vision is to build scholars 和 build character in our students.”

One of the team’s significant efforts is to integrate visual 和 performing arts while promoting student leadership into every level of the school. Some of those roots go back to CUI, where she played Sojourner Truth in the play, 《博彩平台网址大全》.” She also played John the Baptist in “Cotton Patch Gospel.”

“Concordia has been very good to me,” she says. “What Sojourner Truth said in that play has stuck with me. Those theater experiences helped develop my voice.” Serving as a leader for CUI’s 黑人学生会 作为一个 居民助理 also broadened her early leadership experience.

A health challenge with one of her two sons led her to write a book of poetry, Speak Rivers 和 Move Mountains.

“It’s about the ability to overcome challenges,” she says. “One of my favorite books in the Bible is James, which talks about the inevitability of challenges in life—和 about how faith without works is dead. The premise of this book is how you’ve got to speak 和 move. Faith is a two-part process, hearing 和 doing.”

Her deep Christian faith anchors her work as well.

“I couldn’t withst和 all the things I have as a teacher 和 school leader without being a woman of faith,弗林-埃弗雷特说. “I thought maybe I would work in church ministry, but that was not the plan. 所以, I joyfully serve in public school systems 和 deeply believe the work is part of my life’s purpose. 作为一个励志演说家, she speaks 和 writes to audiences beyond her school, 当她有机会的时候.

“My core message is about purpose, passion, 和 potential—the three P’s,” she says. “过有目标的生活, being propelled by your passion, 和 realizing you can do what you put your mind to. … Having a purpose-driven life, something that is focused on character—this is what inspired me to become a principal.”

Ponce believes Flynn-Everett will rise to the level of superintendent due to her love of learning 和 natural leadership skills.

“I believe strongly that she has a bright future as an educational consultant in the area of leadership 和 team building,他说. “I am very proud of Teresa’s accomplishments.”