Whether it be serving the community of Ohio by working at Kentucky Fried Chicken in high school or helping deescalate a student’s anger in the hallway, assistant principal Denise Ingram’s goal is to help people.

Ingram has been working as a school administrator for 16 years, and before that she taught English.

“I saw I needed to widen my influence for more younger people,” Ingram said. “And for me that looks like being an administrator.”

She used to live in a small town in Ohio, when she was in school. And was very passionate about learning.

She knew from when she was young that she wanted to be a teacher.

“When I was in school in Ohio, even as a child, the school would be closed due to bad weather or snow, and I’d still bundle up in lots of coats and boots and everything and still go to school. It showed me that I have a passion for people achieving their goals.”

At her previous teaching job, Ingram said some students had different struggles than most students at Chisholm have, and that students at Chisholm Trail are more aware of what they want to do with their life.

“My goal is to talk to people,” Ingram said. “To inspire them to want to go further than their parents, but also make sure to help kids who are struggling with their classes or failing them. I help them communicate with the teachers and get back on track.”

Ingram says her biggest mistake is not listening to her students in those moments when students are struggling.

“Because sometimes as adults we know everything and we jump in and don’t listen. I’m saddened if I don’t listen to my students before giving a response. If someone says something unkind about a student and I don’t address it, I feel like I’ve failed as a principal.”

Ingram says communication is the most important part of an administrator’s relationship with their students.  

“Success is about what you believe,” she said. “And when I talk to kids, I see that success in their eyes or the desire for success.”