Blog
The Relay blog is a space for educators, school leaders, and changemakers committed to expanding opportunity for every student. Here, we share practical strategies, classroom insights, research, and stories from schools and communities across the country. Grounded in practice and shaped by the experiences of educators in the field, these perspectives are meant to inspire connection, spark new ideas, and support the important work happening in classrooms every day.
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March 7, 2019
Teaching Black Students Love in a System That Doesn’t Always Love Them Back
"Inspirational phrases spattered around a classroom and out of your mouth here and there cannot take the place of what it truly means to be a teacher."
January 28, 2019
Creating a More Inclusive School Community Starts With Intentional Support for Teachers
Dean of Relay Newark discusses how support for teachers cultivates more inclusive school communities.
October 4, 2018
Relay receives approval of teacher preparation program in Connecticut
Decision will help state increase the number of highly qualified diverse educators.
September 18, 2018
23rd Heinz Awards Honor Education Reformer Norman Atkins for Changing How Teachers Are Taught and Improving Learning Outcomes for Vulnerable, Low-Income Students
Atkins’s pioneering approach to teacher preparation is equipping teachers and school leaders with the skills, mindsets and knowledge to help all children achieve.
September 17, 2018
Drawing Inspiration from Our Nation’s Educators
Proud to have Juan Vaca, Relay Graduate School of Education resident and teacher at Chicago Public Schools unique Southside Occupational Academy, honored for his impact in the classroom.
September 12, 2018
Five Colleges of Education Join Together to Address Statewide Call to Action
Leaders from give Illinois colleges of education, including Relay Graduate School of Education-Chicago, join forces to create the Illinois Ed Prep Impact Network.
Spotlight on: Relay's People
June 17, 2025
Employee Spotlight: Antwan Allen
In this month’s Employee Spotlight, learn how Antwan’s passion for teaching led him from the Harlem school he once attended to becoming a professor, curriculum designer, and mentor at Relay. A former principal and one of the key architects of Relay’s practice-and feedback-based 2.0 curriculum, Antwan shares what drives his work and why diversifying the teacher workforce is a mission he leads with heart.
May 14, 2025
Employee Spotlight: LaResha Jola-Isiba
This month, we are thrilled to feature Relay’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, LaResha Jola-Isiba. From aspiring lawyer to educational operations leader, LaResha’s journey has been anything but conventional. After discovering her passion during a volunteer stint in D.C. schools, she pivoted from the courtroom to the classroom and eventually into school operations, where she found her true calling. Since joining Relay in 2019, LaResha has brought her problem-solving mindset and people-first leadership to every space she enters, helping teams align resources and talent toward shared goals. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outside with her husband and daughter, watching football, and decorating sweet treats. In addition, Her most fulfilling passion project is personal finance coaching, through which she helps people reach their financial goals.
