It's an exciting time at Parsec Education as we continue our journey to improve and transform education. Our commitment to our partners and students would be impossible without our incredible team. In this "New Hires Spotlight," we want to shine a light on two dynamic individuals who are bringing fresh perspectives, skills, and energy to the table.
Meet Brighten
Why do you choose to work in education?
I was raised under a philosophy called unschooling, and similar to homeschooling, it is outside of the school system, but it is usually without a curriculum. I learned basic English skills and math skills and then I just played video games all day; I didn't go to school until college. And this experience led me to see the importance of education. I don't want anyone else to go through the experience that I did. And I think that my experience is an example of what happens when kids fall through the cracks. I feel lucky to be educated the way that I am. Education is important to me because it was the light at the end of the tunnel for a very blurry upbringing. I didn't know if I had it in me to be the kind of student that other kids were because of how behind I felt, but it was through the assistance and support of excellent teachers and the guidance of other people in the education field that I was able to succeed. Part of the reason I'm in this space is because I want to be the reason someone else succeeds.
What is something you’ve learned since joining the team?
Since joining the team, I think I've really worked on seeing and valuing the importance of positive encouragement and recognition of accomplishments. I think at other companies I've worked at we didn't spend too much time on being excited about people's accomplishments, but here I feel that I get a lot of opportunities to be proud of myself and for my team to be proud of me too. And I think I'm pretty good at being there for myself when I accomplish things at work, but it's also really a nice part of this job to be able to receive that support and encouragement.
What’s the book you could talk about all day long?
I feel like it would have to be any book written by bell hooks. I really enjoy her work, and she's got an incredible sense of political landscapes and cultural and socioeconomic forces that influence the way that we interact with each other on topics like gender and masculinity and femininity. And I really appreciate the nuance and reflection that she brings to the table. She has a unique ability to weave in personal stories and anecdotes alongside well researched and considered conversation about the kinds of topics we all care about, but don't often talk about enough.
Can you share a memorable experience in school that left a positive impact on you?
I think a great deal of the positive impacts in school came from my time as a tutor, not just when I was employed as a tutor, but also when I was assisting classmates just because I wanted to be there for them and help them out. I've always found an incredible amount of joy in watching people find those epiphanies and sparks where they realize they are capable of anything.
Meet Kim
Why do you choose to work in education?
Students are the future of this world. They have the potential to grow and change our world for the better. I love seeing students working towards fulfilling their greatest potential, and then watching as they grow in confidence and pride afterwards.
Can you share a memorable experience in school that left a positive impact on you?
I have always loved school. I remember a day when I had a particularly terrible time in Physical Education. I am a clutz. It’s just a fact. On this day, I got hit in the face by a softball and was developing a black eye. Our middle school had a rotating schedule so this particular day had math as my final hour of the day, unfortunately, right after physical education. After a quick trip to the nurse, I decided I should stay for the final hour instead of trying to get my mom there an hour early. This was a poor choice on my part. I fell asleep in math. But rather than be angry, my amazing teacher, Mr. Mo, had the kids around me move over, stay quiet, let me sleep, and put a jacket on me. He woke me up just after the bell so I could get to my mom and told me that next time, I should just go home. He smiled and said, don’t worry kiddo the eye doesn’t look that bad. It looked horrid. BUT he was so great about it all. Mr. Mo is just one example of how blessed I was to have teachers who not only educated me but taught me how to be human to others in my community. He was an example of loving the people you are around every day.
When you aren’t at the office, we might find you…
On my couch or back patio reading. I LOVE to read. I’d live in a library if I could.
What are you most excited for in your career journey?
I am very excited about the ever changing opportunities that my career in education has afforded me. I never have the same day twice. I love that. I always want to feel like I’m moving forward and possibly positively impacting lives. I want to create efficient and effective work tools and resources for schools so the staff and students can spend more time with their families doing things they enjoy rather than struggling under the weight of compliance and bureaucracy.
