Welcome to Cymie Rawlins’ classroom, a place where every KIPPster is greeted with a smile, and the excitement for reading is contagious!
Rawlins’ kindergarten class at KIPP Halifax College Prep is a space where students are not only encouraged, but inspired, to dive into literature. From Maya Angelou to Langston Hughes, students are regularly introduced to the works of prolific authors and poets, exploring themes and emotions that resonate students’ own lived experiences. The approach not only enhances the little KIPPsters’ understanding of literature but also helps them connect personally with the material, and sparks their imagination and curiosity.
A veteran educator, Rawlins has been recognized many times over the years for her impact on student learning, including an acknowledgment by local television news station WITN as its Teacher of the Week in 2023.
Halifax is one of North Carolina’s poorest counties. According to the Roadmap of Need report released by Public School Forum of North Carolina in 2023, only 30.5% of the county’s third graders were reading at grade-level proficiency. Halifax was named one of North Carolina’s 10 poorest counties by financial website SmartAsset the same year. Rawlins understands the urgency of ensuring that children develop proficient reading skills by the end of third grade, especially those living in poverty or in impoverished communities, as third-grade reading proficiency is an important indicator of students’ academic and economic trajectories.
As we celebrate Cymie Rawlins—and the other amazing educators who challenge our students across the state each day—it is a reminder that literacy is liberation for our present and future.
Here’s to many more years of inspiring young minds and bringing the joy of reading to life!
