Tyee Park Elementary School

This week, we’re giving a #SuperSchoolShoutout to Tyee Park Elementary School with counselor Joycelyn Key and fifth grader Melvin Young.

Joycelyn is enjoying her sixth year of counseling at Tyee Park where the students and staff feel more like family. “I wanted to be in a community with kids that look like me and don’t always see themselves represented,” she said. “Since I’ve built a foundation here, the sense of community and the strength of character of the people here make it so I can’t see myself anywhere else.”

Joycelyn always knew that she wanted to work with children and taught in the classroom before realizing that counseling was her calling. “I feel like I can give more of myself to each student – more time and focused energy,” she said. “I get to check-in with students to see how they’re doing academically or be an ear to their concerns and help them find their voice.”

Joycelyn is often working with students individually or in small groups, but she also enters the classroom to teach lessons and support her fellow staff. “My job is to not only do all I can to help the student succeed but to also make sure our teachers have what they need to support students,” she said. 

Joycelyn believes the core of her profession is advocacy, and she is proud of the ways she and her students have learned to express and empower themselves. “I’m always instilling the power of your voice in my students, and I’ve been trying to apply that to my own life this year,” she said. “Now I feel like I can model that behavior and help them learn how to reach their goals through my own experience.”

Melvin has been celebrated by staff at Tyee Park for his tremendous growth. “I’m proud of myself for how much my STAR test scores have improved,” he said. “My class and I are working really hard to get a high average percentage to earn a pizza party.”

Reading is Melvin’s favorite subject, and when he isn’t studying, he’s happy to lose himself in a new story. “Reading is fun to me because books can be so interesting, with plot twists, cliff hangers and action-packed scenes,” he said. “I read books that combine fiction and non-fiction to learn more about the past with more exciting stories. My favorite author is Alan Gratz.”

Melvin is extremely eager to start middle school at Harrison Preparatory School next year and is grateful for his Tyee Park teachers who are preparing him for success. “This year, my teacher is really helping us get ready for middle school and high school,” he said. “Right now, we’re learning about different text structures like literary, informational and poetry.”

Melvin loves being helpful and enjoys his role as the “class taxi,” who transports kids between classes, and the kindergarten bus helper to help Tyee Park’s youngest learners get on and off the bus safely.

When Melvin grows up, he wants to become a professional gamer or a software engineer who creates video games. “Next year, I’m really excited to join computer club at Harrison Prep,” he said. “I also want to learn Spanish there, so I’m excited.”

Go Tigers!