Teacher Spotlight

JKL Instructor Karen Long received our “Make it Happen” Staff of the Year Award at our
National Teacher Training this year! Ms. Long is proactive, resourceful, and passionate about
giving first-time opportunities to our JKL students. Ms. Long completed her first year as a solo
JKL instructor at Ralph Ellison H.S. in Chicago, Illinois. She had many program highlights from
students improving their behavior and grades in school to seeing her students with special needs
thrive. She had so many students thank her for their first-time experiences, including yoga, golf
lessons, ice skating, and nutrition knowledge. “Being able to show my students a different world
outside their neighborhood has been a fantastic experience, thanks to JKL. I look forward to
hitting the ground running next year and bringing even more opportunities to my students.” This
summer, Ms. Long will be enjoying a well-deserved trip exploring Vietnam. We can’t wait to see
the JKL Ralph Ellison program in action next school year!