Rondo community elder Mary K. Boyd has dedicated her life to education and child development, drawing on decades of experience as a teacher, administrator and community advocate. Born and raised in the historic Rondo neighborhood, Boyd built a career shaped by connection, mentorship and a belief that every adult has the power to help children thrive.
Boyd began her professional journey in the classroom, holding roles as a talking-typewriter instructor, youth advocate and director of Street Academy. She later stepped into leadership in Saint Paul Public Schools, serving as vice principal at Hazel Park Junior High and principal at both Central High School and the Area Learning Center. She broke barriers as the district’s first Black assistant superintendent.
Her work extended beyond K-12 schools. Boyd taught at several colleges and served as interim dean of graduate education at Hamline University. She also held key roles in Ramsey County Social Services, including interim director of Family and Children Services and interim child protection manager. Today, she leads her own consulting firm, MKB Associates.
Across all of these positions, Boyd said her work has remained rooted in teaching, connecting and understanding the obstacles that prevent children from reaching their full potential. She said one challenge continues to overshadow all others: literacy.
A growing literacy crisis
Education has never been more important, yet literacy continues to slide nationwide. The National Assessment of Educational Progress reported in 2022 that 37% of fourth graders read below a basic level. In Minnesota, only 31% of Black students met reading proficiency standards.
The consequences, Boyd said, reach far beyond the classroom. Research shows that reading well improves long-term health outcomes, employment opportunities and overall well-being. Boyd said this makes the current decline in literacy a public health crisis, not just an educational one.
From her years as a teacher and administrator, Boyd said many students struggle to see how school connects to their lives. When coursework feels irrelevant, she said, students often disengage, leading to gaps that compound over time.
But she is clear: the burden shouldn’t fall on children.
“The way school is set up, and how teachers approach learning, has a significant impact on student success,” Boyd said. Traditional instructional methods, she added, don’t always meet the needs of diverse learners. While every child learns differently, schools often operate as though everyone learns the same way.
She said prescribed approaches to education can leave many students behind. Today’s young people also face challenges tied to social media and individualism, which can distance them from their communities and weaken the support systems that help them thrive.
“Too few children’s books feature Black characters or reflect the lived experiences of Black children. Choosing books that affirm children’s identities can help them engage more deeply with reading.”
Reimagining education: The role of first educators
Boyd’s experiences have fueled her belief that education must extend beyond school walls and that communities play an essential role in children’s lives. Inspired by the work of Dr. Patricia Harbour Moore and the Kettering Foundation, she founded the Every Body’s In movement. Its message is simple: everyone has a role to play in education.
“The language of education is not always the language of the community,” Boyd said in an interview with Youthprise. “The schoolhouse should partner with the community, so that the community will support the schoolhouse.”
Boyd’s philosophy centers on the idea of “first educators.” When she and her husband had children, she vowed to be their first educator — the adult who nurtures, guides and champions them.
Parents, she said, fill three roles: mentor, teacher and cheerleader. Mentors help children navigate life’s choices. Teachers impart lessons and values. Cheerleaders offer unwavering belief and encouragement.
But Boyd emphasizes that community members can be first educators, too. She said children flourish when the adults around them — neighbors, elders, coaches, faith leaders or family friends — invest in their growth and affirm their worth.
Being a first educator, Boyd said, does not always mean formal mentoring. It is a mindset: treating every child with acceptance, sharing wisdom when appropriate and consistently believing in their abilities.
The Rondo community, she said, modeled this for her. The adults she grew up around saw every child as part of a collective story. Their investment shaped her views on how communities can raise and support children.
Boyd believes that embracing the first educator model can strengthen children’s resilience and engagement, especially in moments when schools alone cannot meet their needs.
A call to action
Boyd encourages communities to take responsibility for fostering children’s success, especially in literacy. Change, she said, does not happen all at once — but begins with individual acts.
Embrace the first educator role.
Small actions can set the foundation for broader change. Adults can model curiosity, encourage positive choices and serve as trusted supporters in children’s lives. When more community members adopt this mindset, culture shifts.
Encourage children to read.
With 69% of Minnesota’s Black students reading below proficiency, Boyd said literacy must be treated as urgent. Parents and caregivers can read to children nightly, make regular library visits and explore local bookstores. Planting People Growing Justice offers resources on building a love of reading.
Seek out culturally representative books.
Representation matters, Boyd said. Too few children’s books feature Black characters or reflect the lived experiences of Black children. Choosing books that affirm children’s identities can help them engage more deeply with reading.
Boyd said literacy is a shared responsibility, and that communities have the power to change outcomes.
“Anybody can teach others something new,” she said. “When community members take the initiative to be first educators, that’s when children will flourish.”
Alex Nellis is a recent Communication graduate who grew up in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. He is passionate about social justice and has completed graduate certificates in Gender Studies and Cultural Diversity.For more information on the reading crisis, visit Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute at www.ppgjli.org.