To date, all students have graduated and about one-third express an interest in a career in education. If they follow this path, they begin with a solid background of actual experience, increasing their chances of success, a welcome outcome in efforts to reverse a shortage of teachers.

As noted by the Center for Black Education, “Research shows when Black students have Black teachers who reflect their experiences and worldviews, they perform better in school. But most students go through 13 years of public education without a teacher of color. As a result, Black students continue to fall short of their academic potential.”

Root 2 Rise was created by Denise Hanson, a teacher recognized for her ability to see the potential in every student — and to empower them to discover this for themselves.

The emphasis on cooperation and collaboration engages and benefits students, teachers, parents, and support staff. Participants and observers often characterize the result sas “amazing.”

A commitment to social justice and student-centered teaching prompted Denise Hanson to found Root 2 Rise in 2017.

During a 24-year career as a high-school Spanish teacher, she consistently developed innovative approaches to instruction.

She served six years on a behavioral intervention team, and implemented policies so underachieving students could take coursse that engaged them instead of uninteresting remedial classes.

Hanson earned a BS degree in psychology from the UW-Madison and MA degrees in school counseling and teacher leadership. She was an instructor for K-12 pre-service second language teachers at the UW-Madison for four years. Her teaching philosophy has been featured in several academic journals.

She was a pioneering coach and trainer in restorative justice, developing a school-wide system and leading more than 200 restorative circles.