LEAD Public Schools

For siblings Kevin and Kevonna Anderson, success after high school has taken two different forms. Kevin has built a career in Nashville real estate while pursuing creative and entrepreneurial interests. Kevonna has lived and worked abroad, and now supports students as a special education teacher in Metro Nashville Public Schools. Kevin and Kevonna graduated from LEAD Academy High School in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and both credit their time at Academy with helping them develop the confidence, habits, and relationships that continue to shape their lives.

Kevonna Anderson: Bringing Her Teachers’ Impact Into Her Own Classroom

After graduating from LEAD Academy, Kevonna attended Centre College as a Grissom Scholar. She graduated in 2022 with a degree in anthropology and sociology, and a minor in social justice. That fall, she moved to Germany, spending 15 months working at a lodge and resort through a program that partnered with her college. Living and working abroad broadened her perspective and gave her space to consider what she wanted to do next. After returning to Nashville, she earned her registered behavior technician credential and began working with people with disabilities. She later co-taught in a classroom for adults with autism and other disabilities before moving into her current teaching role.

As a current teacher in Metro Nashville Public Schools, Kevonna is working toward a goal rooted in her own experience as a student.

“I hope to leave a mark on my students like my LEAD teachers did for me,” she said. During her time at At LEAD Academy, Kevonna found teachers who paid attention to her work and challenged her to take ownership of it. She remembers Mr. Yurchak recognizing whether she was invested in an assignment simply by looking at her handwriting, and Ms. Thompson pushing her to match strong work with strong habits. Their expectations extended beyond grades to leadership, resumé building and the skills students would need after graduation.

Today, Kevonna hopes to grow into a leadership role in education. As she builds her career, her LEAD teachers’ example continues to shape the kind of educator she wants to be: someone who knows her students, challenges them, and helps them see what they can accomplish.

Kevin Anderson: Turning Preparation Into Possibility

For Kevin, one of LEAD Academy’s most lasting lessons was learning how to turn a goal into a plan. College visits during school introduced him to possibilities he had not seriously considered, while senior seminar helped him break the college-going process into manageable steps. He remembers the excitement of Senior Signing Day and graduation, but also the work that made it possible: setting a college goal at the beginning of the year and making steady progress toward it.

Reflecting on what stood out about LEAD Academy, Kevin pointed to “the commitment of teachers and the culture that encouraged us to succeed after graduation.” That preparation helped him pursue a range of interests. While studying fashion merchandising at Tennessee State University, Kevin developed a vested interest in entrepreneurship and started his own clothing brand. Since earning his degree, he has continued freelance creative work and has returned to LEAD Academy to volunteer to lead a fashion and media marketing club, helping students develop their own brands and think through the ideas and strategies behind them. Through the club, Kevin is helping another group of LEAD students explore what interests them and take practical steps toward what comes next.

For both Anderson siblings, LEAD Academy’s influence has lasted well beyond graduation. Their careers may look different, but Kevin and Kevonna share an appreciation for what made LEAD Academy special: adults who knew them, held them to high expectations, and cared about the people they would become.