With three daughters of her own, Chambers knows what they need in terms of nurturing and growth, and that some students might look for a group that provides that through the school.
She came up with Fit Pals, which gathers students every week to exercise and make friends in addition to taking part in discussions on hygiene, fitness, sisterhood. They learn lessons that go beyond school curriculum, such as proper restaurant etiquette. Perhaps what resonates the strongest is the friendships and relationships they make.
“They love the camaraderie, the learning the different things about that their hygiene and how to express their feelings because some girls don’t really know how to express their feelings and they don't know how to go about it,” Chambers said. “Them being able to do that within the group and with the coaches, it helps them to express their feelings.”
Chambers has worked with children in a variety of roles. She was at a daycare when a friend suggested she work at Advantage, which is the No. 1-ranked school in Baker, Louisiana. She spent time as a paraprofessional before becoming the student and family liaison three years ago and aspires to become a kindergarten teacher to continue to help younger children.
“I really love their energy,” she said. “It’s pretty cool working with them. I like to see them grow. I like to see that foundation working and growing, that’s what I like about it the most.”
While she has a background in working with younger students, Chambers enjoys the fact that she can expand the school culture while being more interactive with kids of different ages as the student and family liaison.
“At first I was only used to working with the K-2 children, but now it allows me to be a little more interactive with the kids in 3-5 and 6-8,” she said. “That was one of the best moments of me getting that position and being able to open up doors for the kids to do additional stuff and extracurricular activities.”
Keep up the excellent work, Mrs. Chambers!
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About Advantage Charter Academy
Advantage Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school located in Baker, Louisiana, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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