Helping Every Student Discover Their Strengths
This year LEAF is featuring blogs from our Board members and volunteers sharing why they give their time and talents in service to District 742 students. Today’s blog is from Melissa Hanzsek-Brill, a member of our LEAF Board.
When people think about education, they often think first about classrooms, textbooks, and grades. While academics are certainly important, my experiences as a parent, community member, educator, and LEAF board member have taught me that some of the most valuable lessons students learn happen beyond the school day.
For many years, I have had the privilege of viewing District 742 through several different lenses. As a faculty member in Mathematics Education and Dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at St. Cloud State University, I have spent my career preparing future educators. As a parent, I have watched my own children grow through the opportunities available in our schools. And as a LEAF board member, I have seen firsthand the impact that community support can have on students and families.
My children benefited from a wide variety of activities throughout their school years. They participated in music, speech, athletics, student government, math team, and many other programs. Each experience helped them develop skills that could never be fully measured on a report card. They learned leadership, teamwork, perseverance, communication, responsibility, and confidence.
Those experiences reinforced a core value in our family: school is about so much more than academic classes.
Activities and athletics help shape well-rounded individuals. They allow students to discover their talents, build meaningful relationships, and find a sense of belonging. For some students, participation in an activity can spark a lifelong passion or even launch a future career path. For others, it provides a reason to stay engaged, connected, and excited about coming to school each day.
Not every family, however, has equal access to these opportunities. Financial barriers should never determine whether a child can participate in programs that help them learn, grow, and thrive. That is one of the many reasons I believe so strongly in LEAF’s mission. By supporting scholarships, educational enrichment programs, and student activities, LEAF helps ensure that opportunities are available to all students, regardless of their circumstances.
My involvement with LEAF has also allowed me to contribute in an area that is especially meaningful to me: mathematics education. I have been proud to support LEAF’s PAKCAT program, which encourages early math literacy and family engagement through hands-on learning activities. PAKCAT was developed as a companion to the successful PAKRAT literacy program and helps young learners build confidence and excitement around math from an early age.
Giving back to the community has always been important to our family. Serving on the LEAF Board provides an opportunity to support not only individual programs, but the broader goal of helping every District 742 student access experiences that enrich their education and expand their future possibilities.
When I look at the students in our schools today, I see future teachers, healthcare professionals, business leaders, artists, engineers, community volunteers, and parents. The opportunities they have today, whether in a classroom, on a stage, on a field, or through an academic activity, will help shape who they become tomorrow.
That is why I support LEAF.
Because every child deserves the chance to discover their strengths, pursue their interests, and experience the transformative power of belonging, participation, and opportunity. And because investing in our students is one of the most meaningful ways we can invest in the future of our community.