Four years ago Juno was a freshman at Garfield High School, and a first-year coach at Team Read. In early 2023, Juno and her reader Barkot, were featured in the Team Read video She Looks Like Me. We recently checked in with Juno who is now a senior, and talked about her time with Team Read and plans for the future.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Team Read: How have you grown as a person and a coach in your time with Team Read?
Juno: Over my time at Team Read I’ve really grown a huge sense of patience and understanding for students. They have so much to talk about and so many different perspectives a lot of teens and adults forget to look at. A lot of the students have also helped me grow a sense of playfulness in what I do. I can always see the joy on kids’ faces when they switch from a day of school with “super serious” adults to a fun and playful teen and it always becomes the highlight of my day, seeing them get giddy.
Team Read: What have been some highlights or memorable moments at this job?
Juno: Just the other day I had to coach both my student and her best friend because a coach was absent. Since April fools was the day before, I pranked them by letting them be the tutors for the day and they took it so seriously and had so much fun trying to read through all the pages in the coach binder. Their prank to me was hiding my headphones while I was getting my read aloud book. I could tell they had fun that day because they wouldn’t detach from my sides, even after the program ended. It was very silly but I think it was so important for them to have some lighthearted fun.
Team Read: What do you think when you watch this video and look back at your first year as a coach? What would you tell this younger you?
A note Barkot gave Juno in 2023
Juno: After rewatching the video I look back at how much fun it’s always been and can be proud that I’m still putting smiles on kids’ faces. Any advice I would give to my youngerself is to keep doing what you like to do. Team Read has always been understanding and has given me so much flexibility to help my student and I always try to adjust the plan to what my student both needs and likes. I’m glad I’ve always been able to keep up my good spirit as a coach.
Team Read: How have you applied the skills you learned at Team Read in other parts of school and life?
Juno: I’ve applied a lot of the skills I’ve learned from Team Read to my own life, like how to succeed in harder courses and how to both give myself grace but also study hard. I also used it a lot when working at a daycare over the summer and having to teach preschoolers the last of what they needed to know before starting kindergartner. It’s left me with a lot of skills and understanding of how things aren’t always linear in learning. I’ve developed a lot of skills in how to keep students on task or how to tell when they need a break.
Team Read: What are your plans after graduation? What Team Read skills will you take with you?
Juno: I just committed to Xavier University of Louisiana, and I plan on majoring in their political science and prelaw track! I was actually inspired by a lot of the work I did at Team Read because my main goal with my degree and future career is to make the world a better and easier place to live.
Congratulations Juno! We’re excited to see what the future holds for you, and we’re grateful for all your amazing work with Team Read.
Juno during her senior year