It’s always a fantastic day at the Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA). Constant success, moral boosts, and brotherhood at an “A rated” campus that allows for us to continuously bond with each other, and most importantly, have a good time and smile with one another. On the topic of smiling, someone who is addicted to smiling and leaving people in a happier mood is none other than one YMLA’s art department teachers- Melissa Schulman. Mrs. Schulman is a middle-and-high school teacher than teaching courses ranging from basic eighth grade art introductory all the way up to advanced placement high school art- another one of our AP classes on campus (wow, an AP class based around art- how intriguing), and nothing short of a challenge to those looking for one. Mrs. Schulman has been around at YMLA for quite some time now, and while she does her best make herself and her gifted students known, there’s this lingering feeling that people don’t truly know what she’s all about outside of school and behind curtains, and let me tell you- she’s more than just another member of our staff! 

Growing up, Mrs. Schulman wasn’t a big city girl. She grew up around animals- and especially with horses (yes, she was a horse girl), and she ended up doing rodeo while she was in high school, which eventually led up to the sport she did in college. She did many other things around this time as well. Mrs. Schulman would run half-marathons, which not only would boost her stamina and strength for rodeo but would also turn out to be something she’s good at, as she would become an Olympic sprint triathlon champion in her day. Before she went off to college, she lived with a traditional family, where the mindset was “putting in the hard work would always payout”, which is why she pushes herself along with her students to try better than they did at their previous attempt at whatever they’re doing. While in college, she took her knowledge of working hard and her liking and expertise around horses to the next level- she started participating in horse polo for Texas A&M and was pretty recognized among her peers for her prowess in it.  

We know her as a high school teacher, but she used to teach quite the opposite. Schulman used to work with elementary kids before she got to something a bit more mature and under control, and while they could be a bit of a handful, she was already used to it, as she had worked with kids before. She not only homeschooled her children, but she also taught children at the church she attended art and forensic science. Before all of this though, she used to some not so intense advertising and marketing- nothing to fancy, but she still had an impact of the business she worked for, and she made sure to put them out there big time- like how she does with our school.  

I don’t think we credit her enough for how much effort she puts into making our school and brand known around our city. She is constantly pushing kids to take their time in a timely manner, be original, and be creative so they can participate in various competitions, galleries and other shows. We had podiumed countless times- with I myself being a victim of her winning streak- without her, I wouldn’t have made it to an African American Heritage Month gallery in Fort Worth, Texas, nor would I have advanced to state in the Visual Arts Scholastic Event. I can’t truly speak as if that’s that great- atleast when compared to one of her students that won 500 dollars for second place in the Safe City competition, or the student who won first place and got a free trip for him and some family to Disneyland, which would have costed 3000 dollars. She really is a coach when it comes to getting her students to hustle, and her key to getting her students to win is nothing special- she just understands them one-on-one, that’s all. 

I mentioned how Mrs. Schulman is always smiling, and while it may sound grim at first, she was also smiling a lot during COVID. That’s because somehow, she managed to go on a trip along with her family to Colorado. They all had a great time bonding while skiing, where she found out she really loved skiing. This wasn’t out of the ordinary for her at all- as her father used to take her and her sister somewhere around the world every 5 years. She’s been to many extraordinary places, such as Paris, France, England, Italy, and Ireland just to name a few. One of her favorites was Costa Rica- she loved the land for its breathtaking beauty and super vibrant biodiversity, with all the differently colored animals and fruits. Nestled between the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, it’s a well-known paradise, where rainforests meet bright beaches, and volcanoes rise dramatically from valleys. It was so very different from the other trips, as the amount of natural nature is breathtaking, and leaves your mind spaced out- so eager, yet so relaxed at the same time. It was living art- creativity in the flesh, and that’s why she’s never out of ideas. 

Mrs. Schulman is a master at what she does and is never out of ideas or motivation. How might you ask? Simply due to what she is surrounded by. We do live in an evil and unforgiving world, but she never looks to the bad side of things. She is never gloomy- maybe overwhelmed at times- but never feeling down. If she is feeling down or doesn’t have any clue on what to do next, then it will be reflected in those she guides, which would be outright unacceptable when it comes to building a strong student with a positive personality. She looks to everything to keep her brain flowing with something new- she looks to past works, media, and just what’s in-front of her to get ideas when her students lack them, and she one of the few teachers I’ve known that almost never says “I don’t know” or “figure it out”. She’s always been a supportive backbone for us no matter what, and I feel like she’s more than just another staff member at a split school. She’s truly the face of what YMLA stands for, and I think we all owe her one that.