July 2025 Newsletter
Seeing Versus Watching
I believe that when we truly see young people—recognizing who they are and what they bring—we connect to our shared humanity and in doing so we all rise. Seeing is so different from watching. I don’t ever want to watch for compliance or catch anyone’s mistakes; that changes nothing. Seeing on the other hand changes everything.
I spent twenty-four years in the classroom, first teaching middle-school French and Spanish (a heroic calling I held for only four years) and then, happily, high-school Spanish. Somewhere in that whirl of wonderful students I stumbled on the seed of Root 2 Rise: give the restless, unsure, or anxious kids real leadership and their eyes light up. Hand them a role - coach a peer, explain a verb chart, guide a small group - and they begin to see themselves as smart, essential, and valuable. Their cultural knowledge, bilingual skills, and lived experience shift from “extra” to “asset,” and suddenly school feels like a place where they matter.
When, in my 25th year as an educator, I left my beloved classroom for the halls to step into a newly created position as “Positive Behavior Coach,” I saw how surveillance policies promised order but quietly eroded trust. So I built the opposite: a program where high-school juniors and seniors volunteer—yes, voluntarily sign a contract—to serve as Tutor-Mentors in K-5 classrooms. We trust them to guide, to show up on time, to keep their phones away, to teach. In return they gain punctuality, patience, and purpose—skills that follow them into college, work, and life. Most importantly, they hear a message many of them have never heard: “You are important. You have value. Use it to lift someone else.”
Yes, there is a stipend, and yes, that money is an incentive to many. Perfect, I say, because I know that even if they sign on for the stipend, they stay for the classroom of K-5 learners who fall in love with them and who help them fall in love with themselves.
Root 2 Rise frames success as a shared climb. When young people are truly seen, they don’t just stay out of trouble; they step into leadership and help everyone around them grow. Surveillance may control behavior, but recognition unlocks potential. That is the heart of my work and the promise of Root 2 Rise: You belong. You matter. You can lead.
—Denise Hanson, Founder & Executive Director
100% of her attention
Jaila Beson and Partner teacher Ben Wright,
Jaila Beson’s experience as a Tutor-Mentor confirmed her desire to become a teacher.
She helped second graders in Ben Wright’s classroom at Salish Ponds Elementary School in Reynolds School District, near Portland, Oregon.
“The students love her because she gives 100 % of her attention and energy to them. We all love it when she shows up and every student wants to read with her,” Wright said.
“I always wanted to be a teacher but my experience in Root 2 Rise showed me that I’d like to be an administrator of some kind to have a positive influence on teachers and students. I want to be able to come in and take over a class because teachers need a break sometimes,” she said.
Second graders warmed to Jaila’s bubbly, no -nonsense personality, and she, in turn, felt connected to both the second graders and Wright.
“Students are all making progress on their reading because of the time and effort Jaila is putting in with them. She is always positive and encouraging, even with those hard to reach kids,” Wright said.
Jaila, a junior, will continue to help in Wright’s class this fall and will train Tutor-Mentors at her high school, Reynolds Learning Academy.
Jaila Beson with the students she helped and Partner Teacher Ben Wright.
Jalen Mckinie, 17, said he was “no fan” of attending school, and was a “little nervous” initially, but quickly became reluctant to miss a day of school and “definitely" learned to be more patient. "I absolutely love it,” he said. "I didn’t plan to feel this way — not at all.”
Before Root 2 Rise, Lizzi Park said she "was never a big fan of school" and was unlikely to graduate. Root 2 Rise “really helped me apply myself," prompted by the desire to help students do their best. “Seeing their faces light up when I walked in the room really made my heart melt,” she said. “It inspired me to get my work done.”
Jahad Lewis, 18, said Root 2 Rise “definitely helped with my communication skills.” The experience dovetails nicely with his career goal of “caring for people." He currently works as a Certified Nursing Assistance and plans to attend Madison College to earn a degree in nursing.
Markala Moore-Young said Root 2 Rise motivated her to attend school, in addition to giving her experience teaching, something she never considered doing before. She plans to become a medical assistant.
