Kyria Hart knows what it’s like to be underestimated.
A graduate of Dr. L.G. Pinkston Sr. High School and native of west Dallas, she said adults had preconceived notions based on her background.
“Those moments stuck with me, and they planted a seed,” Hart said. “I wanted to become the kind of educator who saw students for their potential, their strengths, and their dreams. Not the stereotypes placed on them or the zip code where they live.”
As a teacher, her goal was to provide a safe space for students that encouraged them to be successful while making learning fun. Three years into teaching, her principal asked her to consider a role in administration, which became a pivotal moment in her career.
“That conversation made me pause and think about what mattered most to me,” she said.
Hart later earned a master’s degree from the University of North Texas to pursue a career in school counseling.
“I realized that no matter what role I took, I wanted to stay close to students to continue advocating for their needs and making a direct difference in their lives,” she said. “I truly believe that the messages children receive about who they are, and what they are capable of, shape how they see themselves and what they believe they can achieve.”
Now a dual-credit counselor at North Lake Early College High School, Hart supports students as they juggle both high school and college coursework. This includes everything from helping students understand academic expectations to building skills necessary for success in college. She also ensures parents are informed partners in their child’s educational journey.
A counselor for 13 years, she has worked in elementary, middle, and high school campuses. She said a counselor’s role at a campus has evolved over the past decade and focuses on more than academics; they take care of the whole child.
“One of the most noticeable changes I’ve seen is in students’ mental health and the growing responsibilities they carry outside of school,” Hart said. “Today’s students are managing far more than academics. Students are balancing family duties, social pressures, and emotional challenges that impact how they show up every day.”
Recently, Hart was selected for the National School Counselor Fellows Program. Led by the Center for Equity and Postsecondary Attainment, the two-year program focuses on making systemic change in postsecondary counseling by addressing barriers that limit college and career opportunities, especially for historically underserved students.
“I will join a national network of school counselors dedicated to advancing educational equity and ensuring all students, regardless of background, are fully prepared for success beyond high school,” she said.
Looking back at her time at North Lake ECHS, Hart said she hopes her legacy is one of genuine care, advocacy, and impact.
“I want students, families, and staff to remember me as someone who believed in every student’s potential and worked to help them see it in themselves,” she said. “If years from now, a student can look back and say that something I said or did made them believe they could succeed or help them in some way, then I’ll know I’ve done my job.”
