Dallas Independent School District
04/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/21/2026 10:37
Dallas ISD News: Finding a voice at Thomas Jefferson High School
Finding a voice at Thomas Jefferson High School
Editor's note: Spanish story included below
DALLAS - When you first meet Bella S., you see the poise of a leader.
As vice president of the Wellness Club at Thomas Jefferson High School, she speaks with confidence and purpose. But not long ago, she was sitting silently in the back of the classroom.
"I was really shy. I didn't talk," Bella said. "I was hiding in the back of the class because of everything I was going through."
That changed the moment Bella stepped into the Advancement Via Individual Determination classroom at Thomas Jefferson.
Moving between three different schools and balancing her home life could have easily sidelined any student. For a long time, Bella's strategy was to stay in the shadows. But the AVID program doesn't allow for hiding. In the AVID program, she was met with what many Thomas Jefferson students call the Ellis Effect.
Krystal Ellis, a teacher with over 25 years of experience, saw Bella's potential before Bella saw it herself.
In the AVID elective, tough love is real. Students are pushed into unexpected presentations and rigorous mock interviews to build the quick-on-your-feet confidence required for the professional world.
It was Ellis' mentorship that guided Bella in transforming her lived experiences into a powerful narrative of resilience, proving that where you start doesn't dictate where you finish.
"Ellis definitely pushed me a lot," Bella said. "She's giving me opportunities and skills, pushing me to be out there. You can't be sitting in the corner in her class."
Bella realized that the challenges she faced weren't sob stories, they were evidence of her perseverance. Ellis helped her reframe her history: if Bella could navigate personal upheaval and still maintain a spot in honors and AP classes, she already possessed the determination that employers and colleges crave.
This newfound confidence bled into every area of her life. Beyond her leadership in the Wellness Club, Bella is currently running for class office, advocating for mental health spaces for her peers.As Bella eyes a future at Baylor University, her focus is razor-sharp. She isn't just going to college to get a degree; she's going to set a new standard for her family.
"Nobody in my family has gone to college and did it in one run," she said. "That's what I'm aiming to do. I'm going to do my classes, get my degree, and graduate in one simple run."
Spanish story:
DALLAS - Al conocer a Bella S., se nota su porte de líder.
Como vicepresidenta del club de bienestar de Thomas Jefferson High School, Bella habla con confianza y convicción. Pero no hace mucho tiempo que se sentaba callada al fondo del salón.
"Era muy tímida. No platicaba", dijo Bella. "Me escondía atrás por todas las cosas que me estaban pasando".
Eso cambió el momento en que Bella pisó el salón de Avance Vía Determinación Individual, o AVID, de Thomas Jefferson.
Cambiarse dos veces de escuela y cargar con los deberes en casa podría haber abatido a cualquier estudiante. Durante mucho tiempo, la estrategia de Bella era pasar desapercibida. Pero el programa AVID no permite tal cosa. En el programa, se enfrentó con lo que muchos estudiantes de Thomas Jefferson llaman el "efecto Ellis".
Krystal Ellis, maestra con más de 25 años de experiencia, vio el potencial de Bella antes de que ella misma lo hiciera.
En AVID, la ayuda a veces viene en forma inesperada. Los estudiantes hacen presentaciones sin previo aviso y entrevistas rigurosas de práctica para desarrollar la autoconfianza y la habilidad de pensar rápido que exige el mundo profesional.
Fue la orientación de Ellis que llevó a Bella a transformar sus vivencias en una poderosa narrativa de resiliencia, comprobando así que el lugar donde uno empieza no tiene que ser donde uno acaba.
"Ellis me retó mucho", dijo Bella. "Me dio oportunidades y habilidades, impulsándome a exponerme. Una no se puede esconder en un rincón de su clase".
Bella se percató de que los desafíos que enfrentó no eran anécdotas tristes, sino pruebas de su perseverancia. Ellis la ayudó a ver su historia de diferente manera: si Bella pudo con sus revueltas personales manteniendo su posición en sus clases de honores y AP, ya poseía la determinación que buscan las universidades y los empleadores.
Esta nueva confianza permeó todos los aspectos de su vida. Además de su puesto de líder en el club de bienestar, Bella se lanzó como candidata a funcionaria estudiantil, abogando por la incorporación de espacios de salud mental para sus pares.
Hoy que Bella ve un futuro en Baylor University, su enfoque es inquebrantable. No solo va a ir a la universidad a licenciarse: irá para marcar una nueva pauta para su familia.
"Nadie en mi familia ha ido a la universidad y terminado en un solo intento", dijo. "Esa es mi intención. Terminaré mis clases, me titularé y me graduaré sin ninguna interrupción".
Dallas Independent School District published this content on April 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 21, 2026 at 16:37 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]