Title: Substitute Teacher
Company: Merced County of Education
Location: Los Banos, CA United States

After 15 years of professional experience, Ila Na-Sha Hickson has come to be an expert in verbal and written communication. She uses those skills in her role as a substitute teacher at Merced County of Education, where she is responsible for assisting students with homework and class projects, tutoring, and supervising reading groups. Along her journey, Ms. Hickson has also worked with special needs children who have medical conditions, Down syndrome, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. She hopes to have the opportunity to grow as a special needs educator in the future.

As a woman in today’s world, Ms. Hickson feels that her success can most aptly be attributed to her faith in God and the encouragement and support she always received from her mother, who instilled in her a sense of determination and an ability to overcome her epilepsy diagnosis. Ms. Hickson believes that, as a handicapped, African-American woman, she had a large glass ceiling to shatter, and she is extremely proud of her accomplishments thus far, which are a testament to her dedication and desire to help others. In addition to her career as an educator, she is also available for public speaking engagements to discuss her conditions and/or ways to persevere in the face of obstacles.

If Ms. Hickson could give advice to the younger generations, she would encourage them to work hard, stick to their plans, follow their dreams, and never give up. She would also advise those entering the education field to worry less about pay and more about the well-being of their students.

Contact Ila Hickson: