CREATIVE SPOTLIGHT

Nakita Green has been in education for 20 years. After graduation from Oklahoma City University, Nakita accepted a position at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary and has been there for 15 years. Nakita has taught pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, and music. She also coordinated an after school program called The Academy, where students received enrichment and were exposed to activities that they may not have experienced otherwise which include iFly, Camp Dakani, The Wondertorium, and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art to name a few. Students in the this program also had the opportunity to perform at the Oklahoma State Capitol, Oklahoma National Guard, and the Oklahoma City Federal Building. Nakita is currently the Advanced Academic Specialist/RTI coordinator. She also tutors after school at the Love, Grow, Live Center. Nakita is passionate about education and counts it as a blessing to positively impact so many students each year.

Teacher

I’ve been in education for over 10 years. I’ve served as a teacher assistant, teacher, remedial specialist, and elementary school counselor. I’ve been a school counselor for 7 years and have worked at Cesar Chávez Elementary for all 7 years. 

My why? 

I became a school counselor because I was blessed with an amazing school counselor who genuinely cared about me. She encouraged me, pushed me to be better, guided me, and supported me and so many others. I wanted to be, to high school students, what my high school counselor was to me. I wanted to help lead them towards a path that would help them be successful in the future. I also wanted to help keep them from making that one mistake that could cost them everything. It wasn’t until after my first year teaching elementary that I realized exactly where I needed to be and that was in elementary. I am so blessed to have a job where I’m reminded of my why every time those school doors open and those little faces walk through.

My goals as a school counselor are to build positive relationships with parents and scholars, and to be that one positive connection that most kids dealing with trauma need. I also strive to be that smile that greets them at the door, that ear that listens, that hand that guides, that mouth that advocates on their behalf, that person that prays for them, and that heart that shows them love. My favorite part about being a school counselor is being able to help make someone’s day better each and every day. My personal daily challenge is to make at least one person smile and show them agape love.

Counselor

Katrina Nubine has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, Special Education, and a Master of Education in Special Education from Grand Canyon University. She’s been working in education for 10 years with the Oklahoma City Public School system. Ms. Nubine currently teaches at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School as a Special Ed teacher and tutors Pre-K through 1st grade four days a week in her school’s after school STEAM program. Ms. Nubine  was one of 9 finalists for the 2022 Teacher of the Year award. She hopes to one day work on a higher level in special education and to help teachers better understand how to be successful in that field. She would also like to start an independent tutoring business specializing in Reading as well as Social/Emotional Learning.