You are invited to the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education’s Educating for Equity Lecture Series. The Watts Williams School of Education prepares equity-minded educators to engage with students, families, and communities for the betterment of all children. Our fall speaker is Ms. Chanel Jones, sixth-grade teacher at Broadview Middle School, the 2024 Alamance-Burlington School System Teacher of the Year, and the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Piedmont-Triad Regional Teacher of the Year.
Lecture Details
Title: “Before You Teach Me, See Me: Building Dignity, Equity, and Belonging in Every Classroom"
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Time: 11:00-12:00
Place: Elon University - Lakeside 212 & 213
The Speaker:
Chanel Jones is an educator, teacher leader, children’s book author, and student advocate dedicated to ensuring students feel seen, supported, and valued. Now in her tenth year of education, she teaches sixth-grade Social Studies and Science at Broadview Middle School in the Alamance-Burlington School System, the same community where she was raised.
A third-generation educator, Chanel was named the 2024 Alamance-Burlington School System Teacher of the Year and the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Piedmont-Triad Regional Teacher of the Year. She currently serves on the North Carolina Governor’s Teacher Advisory Committee and as a North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Teacher Ambassador and is a graduate of the Education Policy Fellowship Program.
Chanel’s commitment to students extends beyond the classroom. She created the Fresh Start Laundry Initiative to help remove barriers to attendance and learning by providing students access to clean clothing, as well as Cozy Kitchen, an initiative centered on food access, dignity, and eliminating the stigma of needing help.
She is also the author of Hey Teacher, a children’s book written to help students navigating difficult circumstances see themselves in a story of resilience and hope while encouraging educators to look beyond the surface and respond with compassion and empathy.
Through teaching, mentoring, advocacy, and speaking, Chanel works to elevate student and educator voices while championing a simple belief: every child deserves an educator who sees their potential, honors their humanity, and believes they are worth showing up for.
Please contact Dr. Cherrel Miller Dyce (cdyce@elon.edu) if you have any questions about this event.