NAME & GRADUATION YEAR:
Jimmy Hopper, 2009
WHO YOU ARE:
I am a follower of Christ, a husband, a teacher, and a proud Horned Frog.
BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT SINCE GRADUATION:
I am more proud of a process that I helped start, rather than a specific accomplishment. I co-led an effort to open Tennessee’s first rural charter school, which was ultimately denied. However, by organizing parents and community leaders, we pushed our school district to make large-scale reforms. As a result of our efforts, our district hired new support staff members, hosted town halls to get parent feedback, and offers after-school programming, to name a few.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A TCU ALUMNI:
Teaching people the “Go Frogs” hand-sign every time I introduce myself, as well as the instant feeling of camaraderie I feel every time I see someone do it back.
FAVORITE MEMORY WHILE IN SCHOOL AT TCU:
The GameDay Weekend against Utah in 2009. My little brother, who was still in high school at the time, visited that weekend and got the (correct) impression that TCU was heaven on Earth.
WHERE CAN YOU BE FOUND ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON:
On a Saturday afternoon in the Fall, you can find me at a bar watching Horned Frog football. You can find me eagerly waiting to be at a bar cheering on the Frogs the rest of the year.
WHERE CAN WE FIND, FOLLOW AND FRIEND YOU (OR YOUR COMPANY)?
You can find me on Facebook, but don’t expect much from me on social media. You can follow my school (which is more exciting than me personally) on Facebook at Valor Collegiate Academy or on Instagram at @valor_collegiate!
I am a proud Texan who graduated from Texas Christian University with a B.A. in History. After graduation, I worked for the U.S. House of Representatives in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. I moved to Nashville to join Teach For America in 2011 and have since served in various leadership roles with TFA's summer teaching training programs, including a most recent position of School Director at McGavock High School. I also completed my M.Ed. in Instructional Practice from Lipscomb University and was selected for a school leadership fellowship, through which I analyzed best practices from schools across the country.
I taught in Cheatham County, outside of Nashville, where I co-led an effort in the county to open the state's first rural charter school. While teaching, I taught nine different subjects, served as the facilitator for the school's Data Team, and served as department chair. Along with another teacher, I authored the charter for a new school in Cheatham County. My team worked alongside parents and community leaders to push what people believe is possible for students. While the district chose not to move forward with the charter at the time, the team and I are proud of the change that has resulted from the effort - the district has adopted several components of their model and applied them across their schools. In my spare time, I love cooking with my wife (I can't actually cook, but I like to take credit for her work), reading biographies, and watching TCU Horned Frog football.