(upbeat music) - Good morning, everyone.

I'm so excited you all are here today because I have a very special story that I want to share with you.

In fact, this picture right here represents everything that my story's about.

In 2016, when I served the state as Arkansas Teacher of the Year, I was able to go around the state and see education in all four corners of the state.

Every school I went to, I've met teachers, I met library media specialists and counselors who were just doing phenomenal things in their schools.

And it kept taking me back to one person.

And that's our school librarian, Tia Brickey at Park Avenue.

And I knew that year as I traveled the state and the nation, other states, their library media specialists, were eligible to win State Teacher of the Year.

But in Arkansas, we had a law, that said only classroom teachers were eligible.

And I just knew in my heart of hearts, that we had lots of counselors and library media specialists that could easily fill those shoes and be great representatives of our state, but the law prevented that.

So I went to the Commissioner of Education, Johnny Key, and I asked him if he would support me changing our law to include library media specialists and counselors.

And he did.

So, luckily there were lawyers there at the Department of Ed that helped me so much in writing the bill, and preparing it.

And then they also helped me get Ms. DeAnn Vaught, Representative Vaught from District Four to sponsor the bill.

So once all of that happened, which was a whirlwind, it was time for me to go testify at the Education House Committee.

And I was a nervous wreck.

My hands were sweating.

I was so nervous, this room full of representatives, wanting to know why this law should change.

But I did it.

I was brave.

And I shared the stories of those library media specialists and counselors around the state.

They were just doing phenomenal things.

So then it went to the House and it passed.

And I remember when I got the text from my phone, I was so excited.

The first hurdle we had made it.

And then it was time for to go to the Senate Education Committee.

And Ms. Vaught asked me to come again and speak to the Senate committee.

And talk about nervous.

It was this long table in this packed room and all of these senators there, wanting to know why this bill should be changed.

But I was brave.

And I spoke up on behalf of my colleagues, and when it was over, it went to the Senate.

And I remember that day so specifically because Randi House joined me and we went upstairs, into the chambers and looked down onto the Senate floor and watched Miss Vaught go down and present the bill to the Senate and it passed.

And when I heard that yay and it passed, I knew we had done it.

We had made a difference.

The governor signed it into law, and now it's been full circle.

This year, Tia Berkey, actually made top four for Arkansas Teacher of the Year, and she never would have been able to do that, have we not changed the law.

So students, you can make a change.

If you see something that needs to be changed, stand up and use your voice.