The Arkansas Department of Education's Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and the U.S. Department of State recently announced the Jil'Lana Heard, library media specialist at Lake Hamilton High School, has been selected to help lead the national expansion of the Declaration of Learning program by serving as a Super Mentor for the program in Arkansas during the 2021-22 school year and by helping lead the program's national expansion to other states.
Jil’Lana’s selection for this prestigious role reflects her outstanding leadership and success in the Arkansas Declaration of Learning program and Lake Hamilton High School’s commitment to excellence in education. Out of the hundreds of Arkansas Declaration of Learning alumni who could have been selected for this opportunity, Jil’Lana was selected to represent the state of Arkansas as a Super Mentor and was selected as one of two national advisors to help lead and expand the program nationally.
Jil’Lana will serve as a Super Mentor in Arkansas throughout the 2021-22 school year. In this role, she will mentor arts and humanities educators and school librarians in grades 3-12 and bring object-based learning and civic engagement pedagogies to teachers and students throughout the state of Arkansas. Jil’Lana will receive unparalleled leadership experience and become an expert teacher-trainer, enabling her to train and advise educators across the country and bring her knowledge back to your school and district. Jil’Lana will also work closely with the National Declaration of Learning program leaders to ensure the program has the structure and supporting materials it needs to enable Super Mentors and Mentors across the country to serve in senior leadership roles.
The Declaration of Learning program was launched in Arkansas in 2015. In 2021, the program expanded to Virginia and Washington, D.C. Jil’Lana is one of four Super Mentors leading this important program and one of two Super Mentors providing expert assistance and guidance to national program leaders. Super Mentors are responsible for overseeing mentors and participants in the year-long program. This includes providing guidance and coaching to mentors to improve their leadership skills, sharing curriculum development skills with program participants and mentors, and working as a liaison with the national program leads to strengthen and improve the program.
"In my twenty-five-year career, I have worked with many excellent educators. Jil’Lana stands above the rest because of her dedication to teaching, student-centered heart, mastery of curricular expectations for a variety of subject and grade levels, and ability to work with a wide range of individuals with various roles, ages, and backgrounds. Jil’Lana is truly an exemplary educator with extraordinary leadership qualities. You should be very proud of Jil’Lana’s accomplishments and the positive reflection this has on Lake Hamilton High School. " Anne Menotti, Senior Advisor, Education, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Reception Rooms