You may not see them on campus every day, but the Edge Board of Directors are an important part of what makes our tuition-free charter school great. This group of community volunteers help us navigate the many challenges and ups and downs of running a non-profit public school, and have been a big part of our success.
This summer we are welcoming Brittany Battle as our new Board President who succeeds long-time Board President and founder of Edge, Greg Hart. Brittany was a teacher at Edge from 2012-2016, and joined the Board in 2017. To get to know her better, we recently asked Brittany a few questions about her experience at Edge. Here’s what she had to say.
What was your favorite memory of teaching at Edge High School?
One day, I was working 1:1 with a student for what seemed like an eternity on a single math problem. We would celebrate thinking we got the correct answer, just to be shocked when it was wrong yet again. We did this in circles, over and over. I was just about to say that we should give up when the student said something I will NEVER forget. She said, “Brittany, you have really learned a lot this year and I’ve noticed your growth. Thanks for showing me what it looks like to fail. I now see that it’s OK to fail as long as you don’t give up.”
To this day, her words bring tears to my eyes and give me strength when I feel like I want to give up. Her words remind me that failing is part of the process and that it’s OK. I became a different teacher that day, one that relished in being the student as much as the teacher. I didn’t have to know everything, I just had to keep going, keep thinking, keep asking questions, and keep trying even when it got hard.
Why did you decide to serve on Edge’s Board of Directors?
There are two reasons I decided to serve on Board of Directors:
- Edge transforms students. We deeply care about each and every single person who walks through the door and we provide the space for them to transform and thrive.
- Edge transformed me. I am a better person for having been a part of Edge and I am dedicated to serving the mission.
When not working, how do you spend your time and what do you do for self-care?
When I am not working, I spend a lot of time outdoors in nature. My favorite way to spend the day is hanging with my horses or working on fun projects under the sun with the whole family. A typical day at the Battle ranch includes horseback riding, tons of chores, and a picnic somewhere on the property. I love playing frisbee, (especially glow-in-the-dark frisbee), fishing the lakes in Arizona, bike riding with family around the UofA/downtown, gardening, and going to live shows/concerts.
For self-care, I love to cook. There is something about creating a meal from scratch that soothes my soul. I like to experiment with flavors and ingredients to create new dishes and to bring people together around a meal.
Welcome Brittany to your new role as President of the Edge Board of Directors! We’re happy you’re here!
Interested in joining our tuition-free charter high school? Find out more and enroll today!
About Edge
EDGE is a Cognia accredited, tuition-free, charter high school, with two campuses in the greater Tucson area. We provide an alternative to traditional education, meeting the diverse learning and life needs of our students with our blended curriculum and flexible morning or afternoon class schedules. Our high-quality, passionate teachers are dedicated to individualized instruction in our small academic classes. Be you. With us. At Edge.