Returning Roadmap to Success teacher Adrienne McCann-Cook always has additional insight and stories to share with her students about her personal educational journey and path to college. “Mrs. McCann-Cook truly believes in her students and wants them to accomplish their biggest hopes and dreams. She is constantly working with students to help them understand how they can be successful and find the perfect high school, college and career fit for their interests, skills and needs,” shares Summerlin Northrup, the Impact Manager for W.H. Gaston Middle School.
Read on to hear inspiring stories from her classroom!
Grade Taught: 6-8
Subject Taught: College & Career Readiness and AVID
Alma Mater:
Bachelors of Arts from UTD in Literary Studies and Education
Masters of Curriculum and Instruction, Literary Studies, UTA
Area of Study: Literary Studies and Education
Favorite College Memory: My favorite college memory was the day I won a writing contest and found out that my short story, based on my own life was going to be published in the college’s annual journal.
Why did you choose to become a teacher?
I chose to become a teacher because I had some incredible teachers help me through some of the most difficult times in my life. I thought, if I could help students learn, and inspire them, as I was inspired, that perhaps that could be the best way to give back to the community that helped me to be the me I am today.
What is your favorite activity/ lesson in the Roadmap to Success program?
I think my favorite activity in the Roadmap program is the interview etiquette lesson. Practicing handshakes, looking people in the eyes, and speaking, are all important first steps when going in for an interview and they can make all the difference in whether a person is hired or not.
Share a short story highlighting Roadmap to Success in your classroom!
Just one, uhm, okay, well, I really, will just have to sum it up. I think the greatest thing about Roadmap to Success is that I have several formal students, and current students that have applied, and been accepted magnet schools, and early college, all because they learned about the process and what they needed to have to be prepared to gain admission to such schools. They are that much closer to changing the statistics from the first lesson, when only 3 or 4 students are left standing, they want to have more than 8% attend college and graduate, and with the help of Roadmap, and the support of teachers, their parents, and the community, I know that they will be able to strive down their roads to success, regardless of what they dream to become once they graduate.
