When the student debuted her Fulani braids at school, Leigha complimented her and told her not to be surprised if she showed up at school with the same hairstyle the next day. “Of course she didn’t believe me,” the elementary teacher said.
True to her word, Leigha got to work as soon as she got home, “My mom and I actually shared the job of getting my hair all braided up.” “With my student’s hair being similar to mine, I thought what better way to show her how she inspired me to feel beautiful with that same braided up-do hairstyle!” the educator added.
“While I am teaching them content needed to grow and move on to the next grade level, I am also teaching them to love themselves a little more for the next challenge they might face in the next stage of development,” she added.
“It is with the connections and relationships that I am able to help students succeed academically, and it is with those same connections and relationships that I am able to possibly save lives of children who never knew what being whole felt like.”
This Article Was First Published on buzzfeed.com