My Why

By Dr. Carrie Hepburn

For years, I thought success in education meant looking like I had it all together—that my “pedigree” gave me an edge. The truth? I was living an inauthentic life. Yes, I worked hard—really hard—but what truly fueled me was something deeper, something rooted in my family’s story.

My mother lit the spark for my passion in education. She passed away in 2006, but her last words to me were, “Carrie, get your education.” At that time, I was already teaching and pursuing my master’s degree. She couldn’t have been prouder.

My mom was a high school dropout. One of thirteen children, she grew up in a two-bedroom home with dirt floors. Most of her siblings left school after eighth grade to work and help feed the family. For her, a high school diploma was a dream she had for her children. College—or trade school—was like cake with extra sprinkles. She valued education because she didn’t have it.

Two years ago, I had dinner with her younger brother, my Uncle Buddy. He told me he also dropped out—this time to enlist in the Vietnam War. When he came home, he had to ask a friend to fill out a job application because he couldn’t read or write. He worked at that same factory until retirement. With tears in his eyes, he told me his one wish: to be able to read a book to his grandchildren.

My mom worked multiple jobs and overtime hours just to get by. Meanwhile, I had a different life—not because I was smarter, but because I had an education that allowed me to do work I loved and still provide for my family. My children grew up with books in their hands, reading together as part of our everyday life. They went to college with doors wide open—because my husband and I got our education.

I share this at the start of the school year for two reasons:

1. The work you do matters. Education changes lives. It changes family legacies. It opens doors for those who may not even know those doors exist.
2. The work you do is hard. There will be days that don’t make sense, when the weight feels too heavy, when quitting seems easier. On those days, hold tight to your why. It will be the thing that keeps you going.

We can’t control the world around us—the chatter, the chaos, the whirlwind—but we can control two things: our attitude and our effort. No one can take those away from us.

So let’s walk into this year with passion, with purpose, and with our why burning brightly. Because the work you do doesn’t just teach—it transforms.