To recruit, mentor, and train culturally diverse and economically challenged students from high school through college and place them as effective teachers and committed leaders who strengthen schools and communities.

We congratulate TSTT alum, Brittany Barrow of Woodlands High School, for receiving the Spartan Educator Spotlight from the St. Thomas Aquinas College Alumni Association.

“Spartan Educator Spotlight—Brittany Barrow ’13, is a 6th grade teacher in the East Ramapo School District who will be featured during our 2021 Alumni Hall of Fame Celebration.

While in high school, Brittany was involved in a program called "Today’s Students Tomorrow’s Teachers". The program mentored and trained culturally diverse and economically challenged students for careers in education and required Brittany to tutor other students in exchange for a partial college scholarship. Brittany spent four years—from freshman year to senior year of high school—tutoring middle school students in math during after school hours. She knew she had found her calling and majored in Education at STAC.

Today, Brittany teaches sixth grade full-time at Kakiat Elementary School. She says she can’t imagine herself being anywhere or doing anything else: “Everyone grows up saying they want to be a teacher, but I never changed my mind,” Brittany says. “I love my job. I love school. I’m very, very blessed.”