Trish McKeel is the Regional Director of Programs for the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), supporting TX, OK, AR, MS, and LA. A dedicated educator for 30 years, she spent 17 years as a classroom teacher and 13 as a campus administrator. Trish served as TEPSA Region XI President, was named Assistant Principal of the Year for Region XI, and was an HEB Administrator of the Year semifinalist. Passionate about empowering underserved communities through entrepreneurial education, she now helps students develop an entrepreneurial mindset. She lives in North Texas with her husband and has two adult children.
“Will this get me out of prison?”
As our Zoom coaching session neared its end, I asked the young man in front of me if he had any other questions. He was preparing to present his business plan in a Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) pitch competition the next day, hoping to win seed money for his idea. As part of a 2022 Travis Hill School NOLA/NFTE BizCamp, he was working toward a future that, despite his current circumstances, he still believed in. Travis Hill Schools operate within New Orleans’ Juvenile Justice Detention Center and the Orleans Justice Center, offering education and opportunity to incarcerated youth.
Throughout our session, he was animated and charismatic—the kind of person who, as the adage goes, could sell ketchup popsicles to a woman wearing white gloves. But at that moment, with that solemn question, his demeanor shifted. And so did mine.
After three decades in public education—17 in the classroom and 13 in administration—I have been in many challenging situations, often needing to respond off the cuff. But his question left me momentarily speechless. Collecting myself, I looked at him and said, “It won’t get you out of prison, but if you continue down this path, focus on your goals, and work to make your barbershop and community center a reality, it might keep you out.”
His bright smile returned; his energy reignited. “Yes ma’am, I am in!”
Despite his incarceration, his zest for life, success, and a better future for himself and his community remained unshaken.
The next day, he placed second in the pitch competition, earning an Amazon gift card as seed money for his business. As you can imagine, even using the gift card presented its own challenges within the correctional facility. Determined to support his entrepreneurial spirit, I collaborated with Travis Hill School, which found a way to ensure he could utilize his winnings—even while incarcerated. Their dedication to nurturing the entrepreneurial spark ignited by this experience was unwavering.
Watching this student’s drive and determination unfold filled my bucket in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The passion that had drawn me to education all those years ago surged back to life. My “why” burned bright once again.
Since beginning my career as a teacher in Arkansas in 1988, I have experienced the ebb and flow of education across eight different states. As the wife of a Marine, I adapted to frequent moves, taking any teaching position I was fortunate enough to secure. For the past 22 years, I’ve been rooted in North Texas, navigating the evolving landscape of education—complete with the challenges of being a “Covid Principal.”
After completing 30 years in public education, I transitioned to NFTE, a global nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved communities through entrepreneurial education and Shark Tank-style competitions. This work has afforded me bucket-filling experiences like the one with the young man from Travis Hill—experiences that reaffirm why I remain in education.
In today’s climate, educators often struggle to find moments that replenish their spirits. There’s more negativity than positivity, more obstacles than encouragement. Yet, after nearly 35 years, I have realized that the best way to fill my own bucket is to pour water into others.’ A skill we teach is opportunity recognition. I recognize that by providing opportunities for students—especially those with the odds stacked against them—ultimately provides motivation and optimism for me.
Rather than seeking out positivity, I’ve learned that creating it makes all the difference. Rather than looking for opportunities to feed my appreciation seeking soul, I seek to show appreciation to others more often. Use those opportunities to prime the pump and keep the water flowing!
As a Marine’s wife raising two young children while he deployed to dangerous places, I am no stranger to hardship and worry. I am not a Pollyanna, but I choose to see the glass as half full. Self-preservation has taught me that fulfillment comes not from external validation but from actively contributing to the world around me.
Two weeks ago, I reconnected with Travis Hill School to plan another potential summer camp. During our conversation, I learned something extraordinary—the young man who had asked me if his pitch would get him out of prison had played a key role in implementing a barber school within the facility itself. It had officially opened in December of 2024. Hearing that news, my bucket overflowed!
As educators, we often pour ourselves into our students without knowing exactly where their journeys will take them. We guide, we mentor, we uplift—but the truth is, we may never see the full impact of our efforts. Confidentiality, distance, and time may keep us from knowing where our students end up, but that should never stop us from believing in the power of our influence.
Each day, we stand at the crossroads of potential and purpose. It is easy to get caught up in the challenges—tight budgets, standardized tests, overwhelming workloads—but in the midst of it all, we must remember that our greatest success is not measured in test scores but in the lives we touch. The quiet encouragement to a struggling student, the extra effort to make a lesson engaging, the moment we take to listen—these are the sparks that can set a student’s future ablaze.
To all educators searching for fulfillment: use your educator’s divining rod to find opportunities to uplift others. Seek out those moments to inspire, to encourage, to believe in someone who may not yet believe in themselves. The return on this investment is immeasurable. Because when you pour into others, when you light the way for someone else, your own bucket will never run dry.