Richmond grad helps young people dream big

Brittany Andrews, GC’18, lost two out of three games of Ticket to Ride to her students, but she won in teaching them about economic scarcity. While her methods may be unconventional, her passion for preparing her students to thrive in their careers isn’t.

Andrews is the college and CTE — career and technical education — teacher at Rise Academy, an independent Christian high school in Richmond’s East End. She brings college and career advising to the classroom, teaching students how to fill out college applications and write resumes and cover letters. She also teaches personal finance and economics, where she turned her love of board games into a lesson. She’s committed to preparing them with academic knowledge and professional skills.

“Everybody can learn math,” she said. “Everybody can learn English. What’s going to set you apart when you get out into the job market or when you are needing a promotion is life skills.”

Andrews, a nonprofit studies major, began her career as a music teacher but pivoted to nonprofits serving students in underserved communities. Her return to the classroom at Rise Academy was an opportunity to combine her love of teaching and knowledge of nonprofits.

Many Rise Academy students will be first-generation college students and/or come from households with limited financial resources, Andrews said, so their college dreams often focus on local universities. She gives her students every resource to make the best decisions for themselves while also opening their perspectives to schools they may not have considered. Students reap the benefits of this dedication. The 16 members of the academy’s 2025 graduating class were accepted into more than 200 colleges and universities, according to the school.

“I want them to dream big, and I want them to do something that’s for them,” she said. “The advice I give them is, ‘Don’t settle. If this is what you want to do, I will help you make that possible.’”