For Natlie Jenifer, a paraeducator at Odessa Shannon Middle School, education isn’t just a career path—it’s a family inheritance.
While Jenifer’s official career with began in 2019, her connection to the classroom is a legacy spanning more than a century and a half. While researching her family tree, Jenifer discovered the story of her fourth great-grandfather, James Ward Porter. In the mid-1800s, Porter operated a clandestine school beneath his tailor shop in Savannah, Georgia, risking his life to teach people of color to read and write at a time when doing so was illegal.
This discovery led Jenifer down a path of uncovering a remarkable family lineage of resilience and service, including:
- Louis B. Toomer (Grandson of Louis Burke Toomer): Founder of Carver State Bank and a Register of the Treasury under President Eisenhower.
- James Edward O’Hara: A trailblazing attorney who passed the North Carolina bar in 1873.
- P.B.S. Pinchback: A Governor of Louisiana who fought for public education in Alabama.
- Thornton Richardson: 9th Calvary Buffalo Soldier.
- Fountain Perkins: A formerly enslaved person who became a Virginia State Legislator and voted for the state’s public school system.
- Frederika “Fredi” Carolyn Washington and Irving Beaman: Influential artists and activists who broke barriers in Hollywood and the international dance scene.
“It all enforces that my history, Black American History, is American History,” Jenifer reflects. “That legacy drives my commitment to helping students see their possibilities and understand the value of learning.”
According to Principal Dr. Natasha Booms, Jenifer’s presence is a cornerstone of the school’s culture. “Ms. Jenifer consistently goes above and beyond the role of a paraeducator to ensure students are supported academically, emotionally and as emerging leaders,” says Dr. Booms. “Odessa Shannon Middle School is stronger because of her dedication, advocacy and heart for service.”
Jenifer didn’t always plan on being an educator. Before MCPS, she led a team of 32 at a Verizon call center. What was intended to be a brief six-month “diversion” while her son was in middle school has turned into a six-year commitment to the students of Montgomery County.
She brings a unique “customer service” philosophy to her role as a special education paraeducator, viewing her students as her primary stakeholders. “My goal is to help them discover their ‘WIIFM’, or What’s In It For Me, when it comes to education,” Jenifer explains. “When students experience that ‘aha’ moment, when learning finally clicks and they see their own potential, that is what keeps me inspired.”
Dr. Booms describes Jenifer as a “warm demander”—someone who builds deep, meaningful relationships while maintaining high expectations. “She is masterful at breaking students out of their shells and helping them grow into confident leaders, including students she formally supports as well as those she does not directly teach,” Booms notes.
Jenifer’s work often extends beyond the bell. She is known for her “lunch bunches,” which provide a safe, informal space for students to talk about their lives. “She creates a space to connect and build community,” says Dr. Booms. “Her initiative in expanding Student Service-Learning opportunities and her leadership with the Minority Scholars Program have had a lasting, schoolwide impact.”
For Jenifer, these connections are the most rewarding part of the job. She beams when former students return to tell her that “history is easy now,” allowing her a playful “I told you so.”
“I smile when students tell me that I inspired them, because they inspire me just as much,” Jenifer says. “Impact doesn’t end when a school year does.”
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This February, Jenifer has been instrumental in bringing Black History Month to life at Odessa Shannon Middle School. From helping students curate a Black American History Timeline to coaching the “MoCo 365” Black History Knowledge Bowl team, she ensures that students see themselves in the curriculum. On February 25, she will take the stage to sing with the staff choir during the school’s Black History Month Festival.
“Black History Month represents stories of love, struggle, intellect and resilience,” Jenifer says. “It is the expansion of human rights for everyone. I want my students to be open to all history, because understanding our past empowers our future.”
As she reflects on her journey from the corporate world to the heart of Odessa Shannon, Jenifer remains focused on the individual story of every child who walks through the doors.
“Every student deserves to see their greatness reflected back to them,” she says. “Your story is my story, and my story is your story.”
Read the original article at mcps