Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Keese.
Hi Leah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I began my journey by joining the Navy straight out of high school in the early 1990s, an experience that shaped my discipline, resilience, and commitment to service. After two marriages and a period of personal growth, I continued my military career by joining the Army, where I served during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In 2007, after marrying my husband, I transitioned out of the military and pursued higher education. Over time, I earned two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in Psychology and another focused on abnormal behavior within the criminal justice system. While completing my studies, I volunteered extensively in public relations on the military base where we lived in Germany. In that role, I collaborated closely with base leadership, advocated for soldiers and their families, and worked to elevate community communication and support.
Creatively, I spent several years doing portrait photography for military families at no cost, and I also pursued landscape photography, eventually earning recognition in an international photography competition. During that same period, I informally taught reading to adults who struggled with literacy, a deeply meaningful experience that planted early seeds for the educator I would later become.
When we returned to the United States, I completed my degrees and launched a small fashion reselling venture. That effort quickly expanded into a successful business, Design Her Boutique, which I continued to grow until 2020. The need for teachers during that time inspired me to shift into education, where I found a renewed sense of purpose. While we still operate on a smaller scale, I have limited operations so I could concentrate on teaching.
I have now been teaching 6th grade science for several years. I currently am the 6th grade team lead, am a member of our district’s Academic Advisory Committee, and serve in our science curriculum cohort, helping shape meaningful learning experiences for students across the district.
Next year, I will begin my master’s degree, continuing a lifelong commitment to growth, service, and education.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been anything but smooth. I faced significant medical challenges, including a hysterectomy that required a difficult surgery and a long, demanding recovery. During that same period, my husband experienced multiple deployments, leaving me to navigate life as the sole parent and emotional anchor for our family.
Transitioning into teaching brought its own set of challenges. I entered the classroom with little formal experience beyond raising my three children, and the learning curve was steep. Adapting to rapidly evolving technology, mastering new instructional strategies, and finding my footing in a completely different profession required perseverance and humility (and tears). The financial shift from running a successful business to becoming a teacher was also substantial and felt deeply across our household.
Despite these struggles, each challenge ultimately strengthened my resilience, sharpened my purpose, and affirmed my commitment to serving students and their families.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In my work as a 6th grade science teacher, I am dedicated to creating meaningful, engaging learning experiences for my students. I specialize in developing lessons from scratch that are both rigorous and accessible, ensuring that all learners can connect with complex scientific concepts. Even as a relatively new teacher, I have earned high marks on T-TESS evaluations, which reflect my commitment to instructional excellence, classroom culture, and continuous growth.
I am most proud of the moments when a student’s understanding suddenly clicks, the unmistakable lightbulb moment that shows they not only grasp the concept but feel confident in their own abilities. Those moments drive everything I do.
What sets me apart is the combination of my diverse background, my work ethic, and my genuine connection to students. Coming from military service, community advocacy, entrepreneurship, and photography, I bring a broad perspective that enriches my teaching and allows me to build strong relationships with students and colleagues. I approach education with creativity, compassion, and a deep belief that every student can succeed when given the right tools and opportunities.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is taking care of my students. I teach in a low income Title 1 school, and I am continually driven by the desire to give my students opportunities, experiences, and moments of joy that they may not otherwise have. If I can introduce them to something new, create a memory, or make them feel seen and supported, then I feel I am doing the work I was meant to do.
One example of this is the wish tree I set up in our 6th grade pod during the holidays. Students can take a small tag, write a wish or hope on it, and tie it to the tree. It’s a simple gesture, but it gives them a space to express themselves, dream a little, and feel part of something meaningful. Moments like that remind me why I teach and who I teach for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://designherboutique.net
Image Credits
I had my husband take the photo of me, I edited the background in Photoshop
