By Emily Burleigh

Lake Charles Charter Academy teacher Sonja Davis aims to turn her students into well-rounded citizens.

Though she is native of Austin, Texas, Davis has called Lake Charles home for 45 years. She began her career in the medical field as a nurse. Later in life, Davis decided it was time to go back to school.

“I always had a passion for education and history and decided to follow my passion which led to my purpose of becoming an educator,” Davis explained. “I believed it imperative to come back to my community and do my part to educate a new generation and help my students find their voice and develop a love of learning and education.”

Davis earned her degree in history, and spent time working for a national nonprofit. “I spent a large part of that time educating on the legislative and political process, women’s history, and speaking out on various issues including education, health care, and equality.”

She also attended Louisiana Tech University for her graduate studies.

According to Davis, one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is seeing students become excited about learning.

“Perhaps the single most rewarding aspect of being an educator is seeing students become excited about what they are learning, and questioning the world around them,” Davis said. “When students come into my classroom and are excited, engaged and inquisitive about learning, it is the ultimate reward in being a teacher.”

The upcoming school year will be her seventh year in education. Davis teaches social studies, specializing in U. S. history, theater, and African American studies.

This summer Davis has been working on lesson plans and materials that will be used in her innovative history lab program. “This new school year I will be teaching a new program at our school I’ve spent the last three years creating called a history lab,” she said. “The history lab will be the first of its kind in our state.”

“The history lab will provide interactive research and investigative learning experiences that provide students with the necessary information, resources and procedures using a full range of historical thinking and critical thinking skills by taking students through a process that is methodologically similar to that employed by historians.”

The skills students will learn in Davis’ program are supported by her philosophy on education. She believes that teaching her students to use both critical and historical thinking will aid them in building a better foundation for their future.

“Critical thinking skills are vital to becoming an informed, responsible citizen,” she explained. “Historical thinking skills build on critical thinking skills and provide real-life skills to evaluate, assess and analyze situations and information they are presented with while examining various perspectives and biases which influence an individual’s decision-making processes.”

Davis said these skills, combined with a fostered love for learning and discovery, will instill a life-long passion for learning and community involvement in her students. “The skills required for a new workforce and citizenry will require all of these skills combined together in order for students to achieve success in reaching their goals, whatever those goals may be.”

“A well-educated citizenry is imperative for a community to be successful, regardless of the path or passion individuals follow as their career.”

Davis wants teachers to remember why they chose to be educators. “I encourage teachers to hold onto that passion and purpose they have and take each day as it comes,” she said. “No matter how rough of a day you’ve had I recommend taking a moment each day to reflect on the positive you experienced.”

“There is always something to be proud of each day.”

Davis is a 2023 teacher of the year finalist and Charter Schools USA New American Hero.

“I am honored and humbled to be a finalist for the La Dept of Education Teacher of the Year in Louisiana,” Davis stated. “Regardless of the outcome I am just proud to represent the amazing educators and administrators at Lake Charles Charter Academy and the hard work we do.”

“Every single educator at LCCA is just as dedicated and passionate as I am about teaching and our students and families. I am truly blessed to be able to get up every morning and do what I love with the people, students, and families I get to work with.”