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Help select one of this year's Teacherpreneur winners!

Watch pitch preview videos from the cohort and vote for the Community Favorite award March 3 through March 4 at 5:00 p.m. CT.

Learn more and cast your vote

Meet the Cohort

Courtney Antonello
6th Grade ELA Teacher, H.G. Hill Middle School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I wanted to apply for Teacherpreneur because I am passionate about closing the opportunity gaps in the classroom. I would love to develop my curriculum initiative to create more fluent readers, who will one day be leaders."

Ashley Bolan
English Language Development Teacher, Hunters Lane High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"Ultimately, I applied because I want to build something that lasts—something that strengthens belonging, access, and success for students now and in the future."

Mary Jo Cramb
Spanish, English, and History Teacher, The Academy at Old Cockrill

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I saw a source of inequity in the district and wanted to come up with a plan to address it directly."

Nakia Edwards
English Language Learner Teacher, Oliver Middle School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I applied to Teacherprenuer because I saw it as a pathway to resources and networking in order to grow my idea to support student grow and build stronger Overton cluster connections."

Katie Fitzpatrick
Math Teacher, Hume-Fogg Magnet High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"Of all people in education, teachers are best positioned to identify a need and determine how to meet it. After 6 years at Hume Fogg with an eye toward equity, I'm ready to branch out of my small space and think broadly about how to improve access to a magnet education for all students across the district."

Molly Goss
Spanish Teacher, Cane Ridge High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I wanted to apply to Teacherpreneur because I have a strong vision for how to better support and elevate our multilingual students, and I’m ready to turn that idea into something more concrete and sustainable. I applied because I know this program can help me refine my concept, get meaningful feedback, and transform it into a project that truly impacts students and our school community."

Heather Hall
English Composition Teacher, East Nashville Magnet High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I wanted to apply to Teacherpreneur to directly support the students of East Nashville Magnet High School with much needed funding and support for their student clubs to support the emotional and social well-being among our students. Students need a safe space to access meaningful projects to support community building and address mental health."

Leigh Ann Harbort
Computer Science Teacher, Harris-Hillman School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"While collaborating with other teachers, I identified a significant challenge: many lacked experience and resources for teaching Computer Science to K–2 students, particularly those with minimal device skills. This led me to develop the idea of a CS curriculum lending library that integrates computer science with cross-curricular learning. I applied to Teacherpreneur to gain the skills and resources needed to bring this idea to life."

Madison Reeb
AP Literature Teacher, Valor College Prep

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I've always been a bit of an ideas person. I was excited to find an opportunity that would let me hone my ideas and turn them into something presentable."

Likisha Rhodes
Exceptional Education Teacher, Cane Ridge High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I feel we have a lot of moving parts in our school system and the best way to move effectively together is to understand the functions of jobs in isolation so you can adequately utilize all of the resources available to reduce limitations."

Louisa Saylor
2nd Grade Teacher, Goodlettsville Elementary

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"Ultimately, I applied because I believe this program could become a transformative support system for new teachers—one that strengthens instructional practice, increases student achievement, and keeps talented educators in the profession. Teacherpreneur is the space where this vision can be sharpened, tested, and brought to life."

Debbie West
3rd Grade Teacher, Waverly-Belmont Elementary

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"Through the Teacherpreneur process, I want to explore the root causes of communication and miscommunication, develop thoughtful strategies for change, and build a clear, measurable plan for sharing stories that happen in classroom. Ultimately, I hope this experience helps me grow into a teacher-leader who doesn’t just innovate for students, but with families, colleagues, and the broader Nashville community."

Meet the Cohort

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Courtney Antonello
6th Grade ELA Teacher, H.G. Hill Middle School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I wanted to apply for Teacherpreneur because I am passionate about closing the opportunity gaps in the classroom. I would love to develop my curriculum initiative to create more fluent readers, who will one day be leaders."

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Ashley Bolan
English Language Development Teacher, Hunters Lane High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"Ultimately, I applied because I want to build something that lasts—something that strengthens belonging, access, and success for students now and in the future."

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Mary Jo Cramb
Spanish, English, and History Teacher, The Academy at Old Cockrill

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I saw a source of inequity in the district and wanted to come up with a plan to address it directly."

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Nakia Edwards
English Language Learner Teacher, Oliver Middle School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I applied to Teacherprenuer because I saw it as a pathway to resources and networking in order to grow my idea to support student grow and build stronger Overton cluster connections."

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Katie Fitzpatrick
Math Teacher, Hume-Fogg Magnet High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"Of all people in education, teachers are best positioned to identify a need and determine how to meet it. After 6 years at Hume Fogg with an eye toward equity, I'm ready to branch out of my small space and think broadly about how to improve access to a magnet education for all students across the district."

Image

Molly Goss
Spanish Teacher, Cane Ridge High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I wanted to apply to Teacherpreneur because I have a strong vision for how to better support and elevate our multilingual students, and I’m ready to turn that idea into something more concrete and sustainable. I applied because I know this program can help me refine my concept, get meaningful feedback, and transform it into a project that truly impacts students and our school community."

Image

Heather Hall
English Composition Teacher, East Nashville Magnet High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I wanted to apply to Teacherpreneur to directly support the students of East Nashville Magnet High School with much needed funding and support for their student clubs to support the emotional and social well-being among our students. Students need a safe space to access meaningful projects to support community building and address mental health."

Image

Leigh Ann Harbort
Computer Science Teacher, Harris-Hillman School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"While collaborating with other teachers, I identified a significant challenge: many lacked experience and resources for teaching Computer Science to K–2 students, particularly those with minimal device skills. This led me to develop the idea of a CS curriculum lending library that integrates computer science with cross-curricular learning. I applied to Teacherpreneur to gain the skills and resources needed to bring this idea to life."

Image

Madison Reeb
AP Literature Teacher, Valor College Prep

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I've always been a bit of an ideas person. I was excited to find an opportunity that would let me hone my ideas and turn them into something presentable."

Image

Likisha Rhodes
Exceptional Education Teacher, Cane Ridge High School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"I feel we have a lot of moving parts in our school system and the best way to move effectively together is to understand the functions of jobs in isolation so you can adequately utilize all of the resources available to reduce limitations."

Image

Louisa Saylor
2nd Grade Teacher, Goodlettsville Elementary School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"Ultimately, I applied because I believe this program could become a transformative support system for new teachers—one that strengthens instructional practice, increases student achievement, and keeps talented educators in the profession. Teacherpreneur is the space where this vision can be sharpened, tested, and brought to life."

Image

Debbie West
3rd Grade Teacher, Waverly-Belmont Elementary School

What made you want to apply to Teacherpreneur?
"Through the Teacherpreneur process, I want to explore the root causes of communication and miscommunication, develop thoughtful strategies for change, and build a clear, measurable plan for sharing stories that happen in classroom. Ultimately, I hope this experience helps me grow into a teacher-leader who doesn’t just innovate for students, but with families, colleagues, and the broader Nashville community."

Create. Refine. Pitch. Pilot.

The Teacherpreneur program is designed to harness educator innovation to remove barriers to success so that all students thrive.

This professional learning opportunity will help teachers identify an issue, research root causes of the issue, and create innovative solutions while developing their skills as change-makers both in and beyond the walls of their classroom.
The Teacherpreneur cohort will participate in professional learning in January and February 2025 to design and refine their solution to a challenge they see in their classroom or school. The cohort experience will culminate in a pitch event awarding $25,000 in cash prizes to the top concepts.

The top three winners will also receive seed funding to implement their innovative solution as a pilot program.

THE COHORT's JOURNEY

See below for some highlights from our inaugural Teacherpeneur cohort as they prepared to pitch their prototypes on February 24.

Cohort mentor Brian Purvis advises the inaugural cohort

Teacherpreneurs David Myers and Paula Pendergrass discuss root causes of educational inequities

Teacherpreneurs Addison Barrack and LaKesha Rayford share findings from their empathy interviews

Teacherpreneurs Justin Montenegro and Nita Smith practice their pitches and provide feedback

Inspired by words from local entrepreneur and educator Emily Freitag, CEO of Instruction Partners, to “find a problem you can fall in love with,” our 12 Teacherpreneurs are designing solutions to problems they are most passionate about addressing. Some of these include:

  • The effect of high teacher turnover on teachers and students
  • The need for more effective instructional supports for English Learners
  • The struggle of balancing work and school for some students
  • The lack of access to teachers of color
  • The lack of accessible opportunities for parents to engage in their child’s education

"Teachers are the backbone of education! To hear the passion and brilliance of my Teacherpreneurs cohort members was confirmation of why this think-tank is needed and even more so amid such perilous times in education."

- Inaugural cohort member

Teacherpreneurs Nikki Bolling and Chriseni Pulse discuss ways to increase equitable access to parent involvement activities

Each cohort member received a box full of books, supplies, and mementos

Teacherpreneurs Daven Oglesby and Quanita Adams practice their pitches and provide feedback

NPEF's Katie Cour interviews Instruction Partners CEO Emily Freitag

Applications for Cohort 3 close November 5 at midnight.

The Teacherpreneur application is open to any MNPS or MNPS-operated public charter school educator who is certificated non-administrative staff (teachers, librarians, counselors, etc.) instructing students at least 50% of the time.

Teacherpreneur sessions will take place from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. on the following dates:

Session 1 | December 7, 2023

Session 2| January 11, 2024

Session 3 | January 25, 2024

Session 4 | February 1, 2024

Session 5 | February 15, 2024

Teacherpreneurs will also participate in office hours held virtually in between sessions and the pitch event in late February, exact time/date TBD.

Teacherpreneur D. Olige pitches her idea to provide behavioral supports to students in the classroom at our inaugural pitch night.

Teacherpreneur Saul Calzadilla reacts to being named the first place winner in 2025.

The second cohort of Teacherpreneurs pose for a group shot following pitch night in 2023.

Teacherpreneur Sarai Ovalle pitches her idea to increase access to academic magnet schools for English Learner students.

Here’s what past cohort members have to say about participating in Teacherpreneur:

"The opportunity to become a Teacherpreneur with NPEF shifted my perspective to view how I might package my ideas and get them into the hands of people who want to know more. This training expanded my knowledge in ways that I did not know existed."

“I learned strategies for networking, marketing, and change management. I feel empowered as a teacher leader to now use these strategies in a variety of contexts. Teacherpreneur was unique in the opportunity to develop interpersonal skills that can initiate and cultivate lasting changes in an organization.”
“The NPEF facilitators effectively crafted development sessions that attended to our time, engagement, expanded our resources, and more. This experience helped me to deepen my understanding in a whole new direction. After 30 years of teaching, this was the first professional development that provided a new paradigm shift of how my expertise can be harnessed for others to succeed in and outside of the classroom.”

"The Teacherpreneur experience empowered me to fight for change within the education world, and showed me that change is truly possible within our classrooms, schools, and district!"