Meet Joy, a Glow-Worm in the Classroom
It all begins with an idea.
After 21 years of teaching special education, Joy still sees every student as a story worth supporting. Originally on the path to become a child therapist, her direction changed after volunteering with at-risk students in Chicago. She realized that to truly support children, she needed to be present in their everyday environment. That calling led her into the classroom and she’s never looked back.
Today, Joy teaches 7th and 8th grade special education in Western North Carolina. Her classroom is a structured, compassionate space where students learn how to regulate their emotions, advocate for themselves, and grow academically at their own pace. Whether it’s helping a student bounce back from a meltdown or finding the right visual tool to solve a math problem, Joy meets each child with patience, purpose, and hope.
When Hurricane Helene hit, Joy’s classroom was spared but her community wasn’t. She spent days delivering well water to families without plumbing and driving as far as Hickory to secure medication for her husband. Professionally, she watched students return to school drained and emotionally raw. “It was as if everyone’s social battery was already half-empty when they walked in the door,” she recalls.
Though the disaster didn’t physically damage her classroom, it highlighted the urgent need for emotional and learning supports many of which Joy purchases out of her own pocket. Still, larger tools like standing desks, adaptive technology, or sensory seating remain out of reach.
“If you sponsor my classroom,” she says, “you’re empowering students to learn life skills that will help them succeed in school and in adulthood. You could be the person who helps create a safe and predictable learning space for kids who need it most.”
Her favorite quote, by Winston Churchill, sums it up beautifully:
“We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a glow-worm.”
With your support, Joy will continue to glow—and help her students shine, too.
Want to sponsor Joy’s classroom?
Visit https://www.valleyhopefoundation.org/teacher-sponsorship-2025 to donate today. Or text WNC to 844-844-6844 to donate directly from your phone.
Help us bring hope and support to students who need more than just pencils and paper—they need Joy.