I grew up in Harnett County, North Carolina. Rural roads. Tight-knit communities. Public schools that did everything they could with what they had.
My teachers knew my family. They pushed me, believed in me and opened doors that my circumstances alone might not have opened.
But even with such phenomenal educators, my classmates and I understood that our opportunities were not the same as those of students in wealthier districts, with fewer Advanced Placement courses or career training options…