Keith Allen Carrington was born on April 10, 1974, in Dallas, Texas. Keith’s formal education began in the Dallas Public School system prior to moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In Milwaukee, Keith attended

Benjamin Franklin Elementary School and VCY Middle School. He attended Heritage Christian High School where he was a talented basketball player. Keith earned his BA in Africology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He received a MA in Administrative Leadership from Alverno College and attended Cardinal Stritch University as a doctoral student.

Keith was a deacon at Lighthouse Gospel Chapel serving under the leadership of his father, James H.
Carrington Sr. He often volunteered and ministered to men at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission and the Guest House.

Keith met the love of his life Tanzanique in 1994, and the two were married on July 26, 1997. They were blessed to become parents of their daughter, Cairee.

Keith began his 25-year career with Milwaukee Public Schools in 1997 as a paraprofessional. He would later become a teacher, an assistant principal, and a principal. Prior to becoming an administrator, he spent summers instructing and mentoring students at Marquette University through its National Youth Sports Program (NYSP). His greatest joy was becoming the principal of North Division High School in 2016.

Keith was determined to change the narrative about the school. His motto was, “don’t go by what you heard about North Division, go by what you see.” He was committed to providing quality education to the students in the impoverished 53206 zip code. As if working as a principal wasn’t enough, Keith also served as a lead security supervisor at the Fiserv Forum with the Milwaukee Bucks.

In his leisure, Keith enjoyed traveling, watching wrestling and basketball, and great food. Keith was the ultimate sneakerhead, collecting hundreds of pairs of shoes. He was a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan who never gave up on his team.

Keith was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. where he served as the chair of Kappa League, the fraternity’s mentoring arm for young men. He was also a board member of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Black School Educators (MMABSE), and a board member of the Administrators and Supervisors Council (ASC).

Keith Allen Carrington unexpectedly departed this life on August 22, 2022. He is truly missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and students.

As the CEO of J.R. Creative Holdings, the parent company for She Slangs Wood Co, Valor Creative Collective and Vogue Dreams Production, Tonda Thompson considers her life’s mission is to encourage others to walk with authority in everything that they do. Being a Runway model in Los Angeles taught Tonda how to accept rejection as a fuel to keep going. Following the tragic death of her first son, Terrell, Tonda spearheaded a career as a serial entrepreneur and community advocate. She took this path to find solutions and preventative methods to reduce Social Determinants of Health that have negative effects to the wellbeing of Black maternal, infant and fetal health within the United States. Tonda is the founder of The National Coalition for Healthy Black Families, Inc (NCHBF) and has created events such as the HaRUNbee 5K, that honors Terrell’s life. Tonda is I a developer, a teacher, a model, sometimes a politician, and a mother who is aiming to find life-changing solutions for the future.

I grew up in Milwaukee in a loving family that believed in overcoming obstacles through education and hard work. With their support, I was the first one in my immediate family to attend college, where I majored in Spanish. I am grateful to the MTEC program that allowed me to receive a dual teaching license in elementary and bilingual education, making my dream to be a teacher come true! I have lived in Mexico and Ecuador and traveled extensively throughout Latin America to broaden my understanding of the intricacies of the Spanish language and the different cultures. This is why teaching at Spanish Immersion is a perfect fit for me. I am unapologetically committed to meeting my students’ needs for academic and personal success. I have loved being a part of the Milwaukee Spanish Immersion Community for the last 23 years. My biggest career accomplishments are the lifelong relationships I have created with my students and families. I enjoy cooking, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Cooking is a passion of mine and I enjoy the privilege of cooking for loved ones and friends. I love getting lost in a good book and being in nature. This is what heals my soul and brings me joy!

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