The rewards of partnership

Nathan Adams attendance winners at the end of the school year with their new bikes!

Our U2L School Liaisons serve as relationship managers between United to Learn and a Dallas ISD elementary school. These volunteers develop strong relationships with campus leadership and become a source for resources, advocacy, ideas, and other needs.

Billy and Cally Taylor are the U2L Liaisons for Nathan Adams Elementary, led by Principal Adrian Luna. The Taylors have been working with Mr. Luna at Nathan Adams for the past two years and have struck a wonderful partnership. In one of their conversations this year, Mr. Luna wanted to create an incentive for attendance, given the challenges of the pandemic and in-person learning.

The Taylors offered to provide bikes as rewards for an attendance contest, and it proved to be quite successful. According to Mr. Luna, overall attendance for the year was 98.4%. The highest he has ever had in his five years at Nathan Adams!

Mr. Luna is now leaving Nathan Adams to return to his home town of El Paso. He says, “It has been such a joy to partner with [U2L] and the Taylors. They have been an amazing pair and have had a major impact on the school.  They hold a special place in my heart. It’s also been a privilege to partner with United to Learn. I can’t even begin to express how amazing you all are. Always selflessly working to bring hope and resources to underserved communities. I wish you all continued success!”

The Taylors have supported Nathan Adams in countless ways, from teacher appreciation events, to providing a mobile smoker for a Community Campus Day cookout and a year end staff party. Now that Mr. Luna is moving on, they will be able to introduce the new principal to the community, U2L, and the rewards of relationship building.

“It is these kinds of bonds that make the U2L Liaison program so successful,” says Director of Learning Environments, Kaitlin Prieur. “It is true when we say that this program is the heart of our model. Our liaisons truly drive the relationships that make everything we do personal, intentional, customized, and right-sized for each of our schools.

We wish Mr. Luna well in his future endeavors! (Mr. Luna was also a nominee for Principal of the Year!) He will be missed by United to Learn, the Nathan Adams community, and all of Dallas ISD.