Photo above from DFW Child/Nick Prendergast.

Leadership Academy Network (LAN) Senior Officer Priscila Dilley shared the story of how her love of learning turned into a career in the latest issue of DFW Child Magazine.

Dilley started working at a mortgage company after college, but she knew teaching was her passion.

“One day, during my lunch break, I went to a job fair that Irving ISD was having,” said Dilley. “I walked up and told the principal, ‘I’ve never taught. I’ve never even substitute taught. I just know that I love kids, and I want to make a difference. I want to be somebody that advocates for families and kids. I want to do this.’ And he hired me on the spot. It was crazy.”

Now she’s turned her dreams into a reality as the senior officer for the Leadership Academy Network, the innovative partnership between Fort Worth ISD and Texas Wesleyan University that continues to improve students’ academic achievements in five PK-8 academies.

“It’s a first-of-its-kind partnership, and we’re seeing all sorts of really neat successes come out of it,” said Dilley. “For example, LAN students participate in an extra hour of instruction for acceleration and enrichment opportunities, and they’re demonstrating growth even in the midst of this pandemic, based on their weekly assessments.”

Dilley also shared how her own experiences growing up as a bilingual student affected her and allowed her to help others going through the same things today. 

Check out the full interview.