We had the good fortune of connecting with Sherita Harmon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sherita, what do you want your legacy to be?
I want my legacy to be one of love, care, and compassion for others. I want my legacy to be carried on by my children and that is why I include them in the things that I do. When people hear or see my name, I want a smile to come upon their faces. I want good thoughts and memories to come to their minds. I want my legacy to inspire others to do, to act, to show and give love to those around them.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I AM A TEACHER, affectionately know as Sherita The Happy Teacher! My path to teaching definitely was not one of the traditional routes. I didn’t find teaching, teaching found me. I had always wanted to make a difference in the lives of our youth. What better way to make an impact in the community than through teaching. I use teaching as a platform to help my students see beyond their immediate surroundings. Coming into education, I understood that teaching was more than presenting what was in the textbook. I understood that it was about making life connections. That meant being able to reach the hearts of my students. My ultimate goal of becoming a teacher was to help students on the course of reaching their maximum best both academically and personally. I wanted to be able to provide them with a daily role model of positivity and professionalism. I wanted to share my enthusiasm for education and community. I chose to become a teacher to be a beacon of hope and an example of the things that anyone can achieve if they put their minds to it and work hard towards accomplishing it. In addition to being a teacher, I am also the founder and CEO of two awesome nonprofit organizations here in Houston. The Blessed to Be a Blessing Foundation, which benefits the homeless and those in need, and H.U.G.S. (Helping Underserved Girls Succeed) Unlimited Foundation, a mentoring program for girls ages 15-18. Blessed to Be a Blessing is celebrating 8 years of service this June and I am very proud of that! H.U.G.S. Unlimited celebrated two years of service this past April and I am also very proud of that! What sets me apart is the fact that I walk it like I talk. My actions match my words. I absolutely LOVE what I do! Every day is like the first day. At the closing of this school year, I celebrated completing my fifth year teaching. I must say that year five was one for the books. My journey to where I am now had a few challenges. Things that were beyond my control but they helped me to learn people. You know, you live and you learn and you keep it moving. I am most proud of taking a step, believing in, and investing in myself. I have stretched myself beyond my comfort zone and that has afforded me some really great professional opportunities, such as being a Professional Development presenter for my school district and being the co-host of the CenterPOD Podcast. I am doing things that I never in a million years thought I would be doing, and I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT! What I want the world to know about me and my brand is this, my name is Sherita Harmon. I am a teacher, a mentor, a philanthropist, a wife, a mother, and a lover of people fusing education a community to build a better tomorrow.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My best friend is a foodie, and she would have already researched places that she’d like to try on her visit. However, my favorite dishes come from the Oceanaire Seafood Room, Del Frisco’s, Grand Lux, and Taste Bar and Kitchen. I would definitely take her to one of those. I would take her to visit the building murals downtown and we’d have a little photoshoot. Other than that, it would be a pretty lowkey visit.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I will take this time to give a shoutout to my husband, Derrick, and my daughters, Madison and Harper. They have been 100% supportive since the start of all of my ventures. They allow me the time and space to work, to go to meetings, to plan, and etc. I also have to shoutout my family, friends, and mentors. Without their love and support, it would be impossible for me to do all that I do.

Website: www.blessedtobeablessingfoundation.com | https://hugsunlimitedfound.wixsite.com/website
Instagram: @sherita_the_happy_teacher | @blessedtobeablessingfoundation | @h.u.g.s.unlimited_mentoring | centerpodpodcast
Twitter: @AliefClinicRotat
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheritathehappyteacher/