During Black History Month, The Hub is spotlighting former students of Dallas ISD in our Legacy of Learning series.
“Your thoughts take you where you want to go. Your actions are how you get there. And your faith ensures your arrival. What you think, what you do, and what you believe will determine how much you achieve.” – Nia Maat Khepera, M.Ed.
Tell us about your journey as a Dallas ISD student.
My journey as a Dallas ISD scholar began at Roger Q. Mills Elementary School, which I attended from kindergarten through sixth grade. Later, I attended Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle School and graduated from David W. Carter High School.
Who was one of your most influential teachers in Dallas ISD, and why?
My favorite and most influential teacher was my 11th grade English teacher, Mrs. Phyllis Elmore. She was known for being the “hardest” teacher at David W. Carter High School. She was also known for her beautiful smile. I met Mrs. Elmore on the first day of class my junior year and thought surely she could not be that hard with that beautiful smile and presence.
I was wrong.
Mrs. Elmore was firm but fair. She challenged me and would not accept mediocrity. Excellence was her only standard and expectation, and she expected nothing but the very best from all of her students. She took teaching and student learning very seriously. What impressed me most about Mrs. Elmore was how she unapologetically exposed her students to Black authors, literature, and culture. But above all, I knew she cared and wanted me and all of her students to do well in her class and in life.
How did your Dallas ISD education influence who you are today?
I had excellent teachers who genuinely cared about me. Many of my teachers were so influential in my life that I decided to become an educator. In my first job as a classroom teacher, I modeled my teaching and leadership style after my 11th grade teacher, Mrs. Elmore, because she was the consummate master teacher.
What school activities did you participate in, and how have they impacted your life?
I was a member of the French Club, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and captain of the cheerleading squad. Leading a cheerleading squad while in high school helped prepare me as a leader. I learned how to work collaboratively with others, consider different viewpoints, and motivate others to be, do, and give their very best. In my career as an educator, I’ve had to demonstrate these attributes, traits, and practices when leading a school as a teacher, elementary principal, and dean.
Walk us through some of your achievements since graduating and what you’re up to today.
After high school, I attended the University of North Texas and graduated with my Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications & Public Address. I then attended Dallas Baptist University and graduated in less than two years with a master’s in Organizational Leadership & Education Administration. Four years after earning my master’s degree, I wrote and published my first book, “Poetic Discoveries.” I have since written and published seven books, three of which are vegetarian cookbooks, “Nia’s Vegetarian Cuisine Cookbooks.” In addition, I am the founder of the Institute for Leadership & Educational Excellence (ILEE), a nonprofit that empowers and educates scholars, teachers, and communities.
An educator for 22 years, I’ve been a teacher, principal, dean, associate superintendent, and chief academic officer at an elementary, middle and 10 high schools in Texas. In 2019, I founded the Nia Maat Khepera Born To Lead Academic Scholarship Foundation. To date, I have awarded over 20 academic scholarships to deserving young ladies who are college students. The foundation provides financial assistance, mentors college students, and provides leadership training to high school and college students.
What words of wisdom can you offer a Dallas ISD student now walking the school hallways that you once walked?
Knowing what I know now and having lived the life I’ve lived, I would encourage any Dallas ISD student to know who they are and to be comfortable and confident in who they are, as self-knowledge is the greatest, highest, and best form of education. True power lies in knowing who you are and honoring your uniqueness in ways that allow you to live your life authentically.
To contact Khepera to purchase her latest cookbook or donate to her foundation which will award a scholarship to a David W. Carter High School student, visit her website: www.niamaatkhepera.com.
