Kim Sedlmeyer
First Grade Teacher, Escuela Avancemos Academy
Kim was working as a long-term substitute teacher and summer school teacher in Canton, and while she loved her students and coworkers, she just felt it wasn’t her forever home. When a close friend contacted her about a new school opening up in Southwest Detroit, called Escuela Avancemos Academy, she was intrigued. The idea of being part of something new and innovative, where educators got to help build the plane while flying it, seemed like just the challenge she was looking for. Serving a significant Latino population, Escuela works diligently to be a collaborative, community-oriented school, where parents and educators work hand-in-hand to support students, and breaking down communication barriers comes first. Kim's endless positive energy and love for learning makes her not only a successful teacher, but one who's constantly pushing the envelope to create new projects and opportunities. On top of teaching duties, Kim also leads the school's annual Nutcracker production, involving students spanning different grades. She began the project with zero budget all on her own - it's now a thriving extracurricular staple.
