Teacher Appreciation Week: Rylei McAllister

To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week 2023, we are highlighting five of the amazing educators in our My School Votes community. Meet Rylei McAllister!

What inspires you to be an educator? And why is it essential for this work to be done in your community?

Growing up, I was always interested in school and learning. When I started high school, my interest for politics and activism began. I had a teacher named Mr. Rodriguez who made learning really fun. He valued what we had to say and what our thoughts were. I felt very empowered to have opinions about politics and policy at a young age. This passion then motivated me to attend college and continue to stay engaged.

Teachers are so important because they are not just teaching about history, math, or science — we are the caring adults for many students who do not have that. We are friends; we are a resource and support system.

The work that we do with My School Votes is an opportunity for students to feel empowered and have the opportunity to create change.

What’s the most rewarding part about being an educator?

The most rewarding part of being an educator are the relationships I get to build with my students. To know that I have people who are looking forward to seeing me everyday, that want to share important news with me, and feel safe to share stories about their bad days is something I take huge pride in. I’ve had students who continue to come back after I’ve taught them and still feel like they can share their lives with me. Having that type of impact is special.

How has your life personally been impacted by voting? Does a specific moment stand out to you?

I started my work as an advocate during college and having those relationships helped me bring change and resources into my community. When it comes to my students, it has been very rewarding to see my students go through the different stages of voting. From physically voting, to being pumped about the candidate they have selected, to waiting around for the results. We just had a special election for Sheriff in Clayton County, and it was an exciting experience for them to be able to participate. The students understood that this election could impact their everyday lives more than any other election. Our school is 98% minority and policing is an issue that affects theme greatly, and through voting in this election, they got an opportunity to decide whose policies they thought reflected their values. I hope that experience encourages them to continue voting.

What about our community brings you joy? What is your favorite part of being an educator?

Clayton County is a very diverse place which makes for such a rich learning environment and rich place to live and work. Students can feel seen and know that they have advocates to lean on. It’s great to be in a district that is focused on supporting diversity and social emotional learning.

My final message to my students and my fellow educators:

I want my students to know that their voices and votes matter, no matter how other people try to say they don’t.

My message to my fellow educators is that education is about supporting each other and understanding that we have a responsibility towards our students to be advocates inside and outside the classroom.

It can start with our vote, but it expands much much further than that.

There are no off years in democracy, so join us as we stand up for voting rights. You can get started today by registering to vote, (weall.vote/register), texting three friends (weall.vote/check), or by taking action (weall.vote/take-action).