‘Know Your Why’: Warren County Educators Begin School Year Focused on Purpose, Community, and the Power to Change Lives

More than 600 teachers, administrators, support staff, and community leaders gathered Friday morning at Skyline High School to launch the 2026-27 school year with a simple yet powerful message: every adult in a school can change a child’s life.

From the opening welcome to the final standing ovation, Warren County Public Schools’ annual Opening Convocation centered on this year’s theme, “Engaged in Learning, Connected in Community,” while challenging employees to begin the new school year with renewed purpose and optimism.

It was also the first Opening Convocation led by Superintendent Dr. Troy Wright, who used the event to introduce his vision for the division while celebrating the educators and staff members who make that vision possible.

“Without our staff and our employees, nothing happens,” Wright told the audience. “You are the reason our students succeed.”

Throughout the morning, speakers returned to a common theme: schools are built on relationships. Whether in the classroom, on a school bus, in the cafeteria, or behind the scenes, every employee has the opportunity to make a lasting impact on students.

The message culminated with an inspiring keynote address by nationally recognized educator, author, and speaker Dr. Jahkari “JT” Taylor, whose personal journey from homelessness and academic struggles to earning a doctorate in educational leadership captivated the audience.

His challenge to educators was straightforward.

“You have signed up again to play a pivotal role in the transformation of communities,” Taylor said as he opened his remarks. “Can we just give everyone here a round of applause for all that you do?”

A New School Year Begins

Convocation has long served as the official kickoff to the academic year for Warren County Public Schools, bringing together employees from every school and department before students return to classrooms.

This year’s program blended celebration with reflection.

School Board Chair Dr. Kristen Pence welcomed employees and thanked them for their continued commitment to students, while Assistant Superintendent of Administration Dr. Charles Costner recognized elected officials, community partners, and special guests.

Wright also welcomed Philip Vaught, representing the Warren County Educational Endowment, whose organization continues to provide grants and support for innovative classroom projects throughout the school division.

Vaught reminded employees that the organization exists to help turn good ideas into real opportunities for students.

“What began as an ambitious goal of $1 million 30 years ago now has grown to $2 million,” Vaught said. “That did not happen by accident. It happened because this community believes in itself.”

Those grants have supported projects ranging from an electric go-kart at Blue Ridge Technical Center to trout-raising programs, ServeSafe certification, esports, steel drums, gardens, CPR equipment, classroom libraries, and family game nights.

“We have a community that cares,” Vaught said.  All we need now are your ideas.”

The superintendent then paused to recognize the division’s Teacher of the Year, Jennifer Schraff, and Support Staff of the Year, Tina Flanagan, drawing enthusiastic applause from colleagues across the county.

The recognition underscored a point Wright would return to throughout the morning—that student success is built by an entire team, from classroom teachers to the many staff members who support students each day.

Building the Future Together

As he addressed employees, Wright outlined his vision for the school division and emphasized the importance of working together under the district’s developing strategic framework.

Rather than focusing only on test scores or initiatives, Wright stressed that people remain the division’s greatest strength.

His message echoed throughout the convocation: aligning efforts, collaborating across schools and departments, and engaging students, families, and the community are essential to building successful schools.

The superintendent reminded employees that every role matters.

Teachers may spend the most instructional time with students, but bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, office staff, instructional assistants, administrators, maintenance personnel, and countless others contribute to creating schools where students feel safe, welcomed, and supported.

That spirit of teamwork became a recurring theme as the morning progressed.

Education Is More Than a Job

Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Heather Bragg introduced Taylor, highlighting his national reputation as an educator, leadership consultant, executive coach, and author whose work has focused on strengthening leadership, culture, and student success in schools.

Bragg described Taylor’s personal mission in simple terms.

“I exist to play a pivotal role in the transformation of communities,” she said, quoting Taylor’s personal vision statement before inviting him to the stage.

Taylor immediately shifted the focus from himself to the audience.

“I want to say thank you,” he began. “Especially a thank you to all of you educators.”

Recognizing that education can often feel like an underappreciated profession, Taylor reminded staff why their work matters.

“We know that sometimes education can feel like a thankless profession,” he said. “But you have signed up again to play a pivotal role in the transformation of communities.”

The auditorium erupted in applause.

Taylor continued by acknowledging a truth many educators know all too well.

“You don’t do this work because you desire to become rich or famous,” he said. “You don’t do this work for a lot of pats on the back. You do this work because you literally have a love and a passion for children.”

He thanked everyone—from teachers and administrators to support staff—for choosing a profession centered on serving others.

“So thank you for all that you do.”

Choosing an Attitude

Taylor structured his keynote around a theme he called “All In.”

Being “all in,” he explained, means being fully committed to students, colleagues, and families—not simply through actions, but through mindset.

“This concept of ‘all in’ is really about attitude,” he said. “It’s really about the beliefs that we hold. And it’s all about the mindset that we embrace.”

Mindset, he explained, is built through the attitudes educators intentionally choose every day.

“The beauty of attitude is we get to choose our attitude.”

If educators are entering a professional learning community, he said, they should bring “a collaborator’s attitude.” If they expect students to become fully engaged learners, they must approach the classroom with passion and enthusiasm.

“You have to be intentional with the attitudes that you select based on the role assigned to you and the job that you have to execute.”

Those daily choices eventually become habits.

“When we begin to be intentional about the attitudes that we select every single day,” Taylor said, “over the course of time, those attitudes become our mindset.”

The Labels Children Carry

Taylor then shared a lesson that would shape the remainder of his presentation.

Quoting educator and author Dr. Lisa Delpit’s work, he reminded the audience that educators often see students through the lens of their own beliefs.

“We do not really see through our eyes,” Taylor quoted. “Neither do we hear through our ears, but rather through our beliefs.”

That realization, he said, should cause educators to examine how they view every child who walks through the school doors.

Children often arrive carrying labels placed on them by others.

“I’m not good at school.”

“I’m not a good reader.”

“I’m bad at math.”

“I’m a bad kid.”

“When kids articulate these ideas about themselves,” Taylor said, “what should call our attention is, ‘Where did you get that idea from?'”

Rather than accepting those labels, educators can replace them with encouragement and hope.

“A part of our work is not just teaching the lesson,” he said. “It’s shifting the way in which students see themselves.”

He urged teachers to become intentional about speaking possibility into children’s lives.

“We want every child in Warren County to believe in their true potential,” he said. “We want every child to believe that their life can be transformed.”

That transformation, he added, begins with adults who believe it is possible.

Expectations Matter

Taylor challenged educators to carefully consider the expectations they bring into the classroom, explaining that these expectations often become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Drawing from educational research known as the Pygmalion Effect, he described how students frequently rise—or fall—to the level of expectations placed upon them by the adults around them.

“If I believe that every child can learn,” he said, “I’m going to teach differently.”

Likewise, if an educator assumes a student cannot succeed, that belief often influences the way lessons are delivered, feedback is given, and opportunities are offered.

“Our beliefs drive our behaviors,” Taylor said. “And our behaviors influence outcomes.”

He reminded the audience that children quickly recognize when adults genuinely believe in them.

“They know when you expect greatness,” he said. “They know when you believe they can do hard things.”

Taylor also highlighted research identifying collective teacher efficacy as one of the strongest influences on student achievement.

“The number one school-related factor impacting student achievement is not technology. It’s not a curriculum. It’s not the newest program,” he said. “It’s collective teacher efficacy.”

Simply put, he explained, it is the shared belief among educators that together they can positively affect student learning.

“When educators believe that together we can make a difference,” Taylor said, “students win.”

‘Know Your Why’

Taylor then turned to what has become the defining message of his presentations across the country.

“Know your why.”

The phrase appeared repeatedly throughout his keynote, serving as both a challenge and an encouragement.

“When you know your why,” he said, “you can endure almost any how.”

He asked educators to think beyond lesson plans, testing requirements, deadlines, and paperwork.

Why did they first choose education?

Why did they return for another school year?

Why do they continue showing up, even on the difficult days?

“If you lose sight of your why,” Taylor said, “this profession can become exhausting.”

But, he explained, purpose has a way of renewing passion.

“When your purpose is bigger than your problems, you’ll continue to show up.”

A Childhood Marked by Uncertainty

Taylor’s message became deeply personal as he shared memories from his own childhood.

Growing up, his family rarely experienced stability.

There were times when they had no permanent place to live.

He recalled periods of homelessness, nights spent wondering where his family would sleep, and moving from place to place while his mother worked tirelessly to provide for her children.

“There was a season in my life when we lived in a homeless shelter,” Taylor told the audience.

He spoke with emotion about watching his mother refuse to give up despite overwhelming circumstances.

“My mother never stopped believing.”

Eventually, the family relocated to Chesapeake, where Taylor entered a new school carrying far more than a backpack.

He carried insecurity.

He carried uncertainty.

He carried labels.

Academically, he struggled.

“I wasn’t the student standing at the front of the class getting all the awards,” he recalled.

In fact, some educators questioned his potential.

But then something changed.

Someone saw something in him that he could not yet see in himself.

The Teacher Who Changed Everything

Taylor described one educator who refused to let him define himself by his circumstances.

That teacher challenged him.

Encouraged him.

Expected more from him.

Most importantly, believed in him.

“Sometimes all a child needs is one adult who refuses to give up on them,” Taylor said.

He paused as the room grew quiet.

“You might be that one person.”

It became one of the most powerful moments of the morning.

Taylor reminded the audience that students often remember very little about individual lessons years later.

What they remember is how adults made them feel.

“They may forget the assignment,” he said, “but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.”

That realization, he explained, should shape every interaction educators have with children.

Relationships Before Rigor

While acknowledging the importance of strong instruction, Taylor argued that meaningful learning begins with meaningful relationships.

“It’s not going to be the curriculum that changes lives,” he said. “It’s going to be the connection that we make.”

He emphasized that effective educators understand students before trying to teach them.

“We have to seek to understand before seeking to be understood.”

Taylor encouraged teachers to become students of their students—to learn their interests, understand their challenges, and recognize the experiences they bring into the classroom each day.

He reminded educators that behavior often communicates needs that students cannot express with words.

“Behavior is a form of communication.”

Instead of immediately asking, “What’s wrong with this student?” he suggested a different question.

“What happened to this child?”

That shift in perspective, he said, allows educators to respond with empathy instead of frustration.

“We’re not excusing behavior,” Taylor explained. “We’re understanding behavior.”

Becoming Unforgettable

Taylor challenged every employee in the room to consider the lasting impact they hope to leave.

“We have to become unforgettable.”

He wasn’t talking about fame or recognition.

He was talking about significance.

Years from now, students will remember the adults who celebrated their successes, encouraged them through setbacks, and believed in them when they struggled to believe in themselves.

“They may not remember every lesson you taught,” Taylor said, “but they’ll remember the way you made them feel.”

He urged educators to be intentional about creating those moments.

Greeting students by name.

Celebrating small victories.

Offering encouragement when it is needed most.

Listening before speaking.

Showing up consistently.

Those simple actions, he said, often become life-changing moments for children.

“The smallest things can make the biggest difference.”

Throughout his keynote, Taylor returned to one central conviction.

“Teachers matter.”

Not just because they teach reading or mathematics.

Not because they prepare students for tests.

But because they help shape lives.

“You have the power,” he said, “to alter the trajectory of a child’s life.”

For many in the audience, it was a reminder of why they chose education in the first place.

Every Child Deserves an Adult Who Believes

As his keynote entered its final stretch, Taylor returned repeatedly to a single truth that has guided his career in education.

Every child deserves an adult who believes in them.

He reminded teachers, administrators, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, office staff, and instructional assistants that students often don’t distinguish between job titles. They simply remember the adults who took time to notice them.

“The person who changes a child’s life isn’t always standing at the front of the classroom,” he said. “Sometimes it’s the bus driver who greets them every morning. Sometimes it’s the cafeteria worker who remembers their name. Sometimes it’s the custodian who asks how they’re doing.”

Education, he said, is a team effort.

Every interaction matters.

Every conversation matters.

Every smile matters.

Those moments may seem ordinary to adults, but they can become extraordinary memories for a child.

The Responsibility of Hope

Taylor acknowledged that educators face challenges unlike any generation before them.

Students arrive at school carrying burdens that often remain unseen.

Some face food insecurity.

Others struggle with anxiety, depression, family instability, or trauma.

Many simply need someone to remind them they are capable of more than they believe.

Rather than becoming discouraged by those realities, Taylor challenged educators to embrace them as opportunities.

“We can’t control everything students walk into our buildings carrying,” he said. “But we can control what they experience once they walk through our doors.”

That responsibility, he explained, is both humbling and inspiring.

“We get to be hope.”

The statement hung in the air for several seconds before applause spread throughout the auditorium.

Taylor reminded staff that hope is communicated through actions more than words.

Showing patience.

Offering encouragement.

Listening without judgment.

Holding students to high expectations while providing the support needed to meet them.

“It’s not lowering the standard,” he explained. “It’s helping students rise to it.”

Leaving a Legacy

Near the end of his presentation, Taylor asked educators to think years into the future.

When today’s students become adults, what stories will they tell about the people who taught them?

Will they remember someone who simply covered the curriculum?

Or will they remember someone who changed the direction of their lives?

“What legacy are you creating?” he asked.

He encouraged employees to think beyond individual school years and consider the lasting influence they have on future generations.

“Every day you walk into your building, you’re writing part of somebody else’s story.”

For Taylor, education has never been about delivering information alone.

It is about helping students discover who they are capable of becoming.

He reminded the audience that many of the children entering Warren County classrooms this fall will someday become parents, business owners, first responders, military service members, healthcare workers, and community leaders.

The investment educators make today will ripple through the community for decades.

“You may never know the full impact of what you do,” Taylor said. “But never underestimate it.”

‘Every Child Who Has Me Is at an Advantage’

Taylor’s confidence was not rooted in ego but in responsibility.

He challenged educators to begin the school year with a new way of thinking.

“Every child who has me this year is at an advantage because I’m their educator.”

He paused before repeating the statement.

“Not because I’m perfect.”

“Not because I have all the answers.”

“But because I have made a decision that I am going to give those students everything I have.”

He encouraged everyone in the room to adopt that same mindset.

Students, he said, should never wonder whether the adults around them believe in their potential.

They should know it.

A Standing Ovation

As Taylor concluded, he returned to the phrase that has become his personal mission.

“Know your why.”

When educators remain connected to their purpose, he said, they find the strength to persevere through difficult days, celebrate small victories, and continue believing in students who may not yet believe in themselves.

“Your why has to be bigger than your obstacles.”

He thanked Warren County Public Schools for inviting him to begin the school year alongside them and encouraged employees to leave the auditorium ready to make a difference from the very first day students arrive.

The audience responded with a standing ovation.

Many remained on their feet long after Taylor finished his remarks and walked away from the front of the auditorium

Looking Ahead

Returning to the stage, Wright thanked Taylor for a message that perfectly reflected the division’s goals for the coming school year.

The superintendent challenged employees to carry the morning’s message into every classroom, hallway, cafeteria, bus route, and office across the school division.

The ideas shared during the convocation, he said, aligned closely with the district’s focus on collaboration, engagement, and building meaningful relationships with students and families.

As employees prepared to leave Skyline High School and return to their schools, there was a renewed sense of excitement for the year ahead.

The morning had celebrated accomplishments, recognized excellence, and outlined a vision for the future.

More importantly, it reminded everyone why they chose education.

For some, that purpose lies in helping a struggling reader build confidence.

For others, it is watching a student overcome obstacles that once seemed impossible.

For many, it is simply being the adult who listens when a child needs someone to care.

Those moments rarely make headlines.

They happen quietly in classrooms, on buses, in cafeterias, on playgrounds, and in school hallways every day.

But as Taylor reminded the audience, those ordinary moments often become the extraordinary memories that shape a child’s future.

As Warren County Public Schools begins the 2026-27 school year under the banner of “Engaged in Learning, Connected in Community,“ the message shared throughout Opening Convocation was both simple and profound.

Curriculum matters.

Standards matter.

Assessment matters.

But before any of those things can truly change a life, a student needs an adult who believes in them.

That belief—expressed through encouragement, high expectations, compassion, and unwavering commitment—may become the most important lesson a child learns all year.

And for the hundreds of educators gathered at Skyline High School, it was the lesson they carried with them as they prepared to welcome students back into their classrooms.

“Know your why,” Taylor said one final time.

For Warren County Public Schools, the answer to that question will begin unfolding one student, one classroom, and one relationship at a time throughout the new school year.

Find out more about Dr. Jahkari “JT” Taylor. Click here to visit his website.