Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Katie Davis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Katie, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
While I grew up admittedly naturally loving school and learning (your welcome, parents!), performing well academically did not necessarily come easily for me. I worked and studied really hard for my good grades. I suppose that while I was blessed with a pretty magical childhood (I know, I know…it’s probably annoying for many to hear this – but I can’t lie – I did have a magical childhood), this academic effort was where my resilience began to grow.
It followed me to college where I once remember spending 8 hours (what?!) in a geology lab studying and memorizing rocks to pass my required science class. I should mention I hated this class. Which made it a lot harder to spend 8 hours in a rock lab on a Sunday. But I knew that kind of commitment was required of me to get the job done and do well on the test. So I pushed through.
These may seem like small starts to building resilience, I suppose, but I’m grateful for each turn in my path along the way – allowing me to build this muscle – not knowing it was preparing me for both entrepreneurship and motherhood in ways I had no idea of at the time.
My first education job was teaching kindergarten in the same district I attended kindergarten in. The only position they had available was part time. And when 39 new hires drew straws for seniority (yes they actually did that back then!), I drew number 39! A bumpy start. But I was convinced I would not be living at home, despite my magical childhood parents having been perfectly happy to let me do so. So I filled my remaining time teaching dance classes and found myself heading to the kindergarten classroom before dark in the morning and leaving the dance studio after dark in the evenings. Resilience.
I loved every second of it. I spent way too much time crafting differentiated lesson plans for every child, writing individualized parent notes, rearranging the classroom to maximize both learning and PLAY, attending conferences on my weekends to learn more about best instructional practices in literacy…you get the idea. I was a little extra. 😉 And if I’m being real honest. Some of the other teachers I worked with were not super excited about my super excitement…My push for transformational changes were many times met with resistance from others that wanted to keep the status quo.
Looking back, I was probably an annoying young teacher with what I believe to be my most toxic and most special trait on full display – my HIGH expectations for myself and everyone around me.
Honestly, I walked through some difficult teaching seasons that I’m sure I partially brought on myself and was partially because I’m simply an outside the box thinker – not afraid to challenge the norm when I believe things should be done a different way. I learned SO much during my 9 years teaching elementary school. And I did make great friends along the way. But it was complicated. Resilience.
After pursuing a Masters in Curriculum and Education with a Literacy and Language Emphasis and receiving my BR Reading Specialist certification, I was offered a position to move to the high school to support literacy engagement, motivation, and intervention. And while this was a big jump from 2nd grade…my resilience muscle was built. I was not afraid of change. I just jumped.
I spent the next 6 years teaching high school reading intervention and also loved every second of it. I chased the largest amount of impact I could make. Those kids changed me too. They renewed a sense of purpose in me to be a part of making sure all kids have access to impactful education, with educators that believe in them, and opportunities to read books that light them up, interest them, and reflect characters they could relate with. The students I worked with during those years defined resilience and I believe they inspired me as much as I (hopefully) inspired them.
For lack of a better transition, I haven’t even mentioned that over those many years in education I got married and had 2 children – and my journeys through motherhood and education began to intersect. But not easily. We went through years of infertility and loss. Costly, exhausting, and painful IVF treatments that leave me remembering days of limping to my car after school because I was so covered in bruises from IVF shots but so filled with the hope of what was to come. Babies. Babies I prayed for over and over and over.
Babies that I am forever grateful God blessed me with. Babies (who are not so much babies anymore) that every night I still whisper into their ears, “I am SO glad God picked me to be your mommy.”
Resilience. Those years of praying and waiting. Of shots and procedures. They gave me resilience.
So much of this resilience has followed me as I transitioned into educational entrepreneurship over the last 11 years. It has helped me to push forward in building something I deeply believe in, despite setbacks and turns in the road that frankly I never saw coming.
Having resilience has certainly played a major part in who I have become today as a business owner, mother, and literacy advocate in my community.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I co-founded The Literacy Camp ® in 2014.
This is when my education, motherhood, and entrepreneurship journeys began to merge.
Why a Literacy Camp? Because honestly, we wanted to be a part of the solution and saw a gap in the market where it didn’t yet exist.
A solution to what problem you might ask? Here’s some quick and powerful facts for ya…
Students, teachers & families are frustrated every year by the learning loss that happens over the summer (on average in the US it’s 36%!!!) when kids lack summer reading & writing opportunities.
There is also a lack of summer camps for kids that LOVE to read, write & learn & whose families want a place for them to thrive over the summer.
Recent studies show that 58% of working parents struggle to find affordable and accessible summer child care for their elementary-aged children.
Additionally, only 22% of children participate in summer learning programs, while nearly 60% of parents say they would enroll their child if a program were available.
So… I created The Literacy Camp® with the vision to provide communities with a summer day camp experience that engages kids in a way parents AND kids LOVE…
Our mission is to grow & develop a LOVE for reading & writing, while supporting the development of lifelong learners.
I’ve always held a loyal belief that education is the game changer that will help build a world we’re all just a little more proud of. To guide children toward becoming lifelong learners, problem solvers, and critical thinkers through FUN and PLAY. And that all children deserve access to the kind of learning that excites them, supports their family, and makes them WANT to spend time reading books they enjoy.
The Literacy Camp was built with all of that in mind. And it has grown and changed, as have I. I have crawled my way through some hard times building it.
But I could always see it. A space where kids experience EASY, FUN, CONFIDENCE BUILDING learning. Where educators thrive in the summer – doing what they do best and ENJOY. Where families feel supported and can take a deep breath as they drop their kids off for an awesome educational experience that also makes their lives as parents, just a little bit easier.
And now, 10+ years and 700+ families sending children to The Literacy Camp later, I get to see the impact of that vision every. single. day.
The Literacy Camp is a social enterprise I’ve built in my community where families rush toward summer camp registration and breathe a sigh of relief when they get in. Where all kinds of kids THRIVE, read, and play in the summer. Where I’m able to provide an opportunity for educators to grow their income and joy in the summer. And where we work alongside generous individuals and other businesses to sponsor as many children for Literacy Camp as possible – so that every child that wants the opportunity to come is able to – regardless of financial hardship.
I’m proud to share that every single year since The Literacy Camp’s conception, we have increased the number of children who attend on financial scholarships.
And here’s what I’ve learned along the way in building it – especially from SO many of the families who have sent their kids year after year… it’s not just about summer. Parents need simple, realistic ways to support their kids all year long—without feeling like they’re failing or adding one more thing to an already full plate. (I see you, families. You’re tired. And you’re doing great).
So as this business grows, they’ll be more of that support for children and families year round. I’m working on some exciting things for parents and families who want to raise confident, curious learners without the stress. Families who want to calm the chaos and build a love of learning. And I can’t wait to launch them into the world very soon.
I consider the chance I’ve had to build this community – people that CARE deeply about kids & education – a gift I’ll not take for granted. Together, we can support children of all ages to LOVE learning & be successful. And in a way that makes life easier for families– not more complicated.
As families, I believe when we make learning simple and joyful, it changes everything. 💛
We do this for families at The Literacy Camp – a summer day camp in Mid-Michigan for incoming 1st-4th grades.
And soon, I’ll have programs for families from all over to find simplistic ways to support their child’s learning at home.
Literacy Camp registration is currently open for summer 2025 and we’re currently looking for additional sponsors willing to help us impact more children to be able to attend camp for free.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I think I’d roll it all into this: develop the ability to pivot, change, and push through despite setbacks or unexpected changes.
2020 was supposed to be the year that The Literacy Camp sold out for the first time! Then, 2020 happened. Hello to the world of both teaching online and parenting tiny children in a pandemic. Oh and at the same time, figure out what to do with an in-person summer camp that serves your community… in a pandemic! I mean, it’s no wonder I experienced some crippling anxiety around that time.
And just for funsies…life threw a few more curveballs in there. I do believe that sometimes when you are following God’s call in your life and doing good work, challenges will come to throw you off course. And they sure did.
As our family navigated the new normal of parenting, pandemic, working from home life, we also found out that SURPISE, we were going to have another baby! Our baby boy is a gift from God that we almost still can’t believe 3 years later 🙂 And while a true gift of joy he is, adding a 3rd baby is A LOT. (ahem…also after you’ve experienced years of infertility and given away ALLLLL your baby stuff)…
Oh and at the same time, my business partner of 8 years and I decided to part ways. In short, we just felt called in different directions. And that’s okay.
I’ve learned that God is good in the easy times and hard times. When things turn out how we thought they would and when they turn out wildly different. It’s usually better than we could ask or imagine (a reference from Ephesians 3:20 that I remind myself of regularly).
But that doesn’t mean it’s easy, non-emotional, or as planned. And as business owners (and mothers!!) we often have to pivot, change, and push through – and if you can do so while maintaining some shred of both optimism and even ENJOYMENT for life – even better!
I learned this from my parents, who are also entrepreneurs (my Dad is a plumber and contractor and my mom helped run this family business). They are hard workers who built their business from the ground up to be incredibly successful before eventually retiring. They taught my brother and I the value of hard work and also are extremely FUN and laid back and just REALLY good people. I’m well aware that not all entrepreneurs are out there experiencing both sides of that coin – a successful business AND a beautiful life. But they did. And I believe they did so because they both loved their family fiercely and weren’t afraid to take risks and therefore, neither am I.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
If I had to pick one of those, I’d advise going all in on your strengths. But even more so, my advice would be to keep going. Resilience is built over time. Dreams are built over time. And through hard work.
Building a business is hard work. Building a business while teaching full time is hard work. Building a business while teaching full time and becoming a mother of multiple children (3!) is HARD WORK. Building a business through a pandemic and business partnership change is hard work. But I suppose I just kept going.
Maybe it was my incredibly supportive husband and family and friends – who have encouraged me to keep going – even when I’m positive there have been times when they have all thought “what in the world is she doing? And is this even a real job?” 🙂
But I kept going. I remember someone saying to me once, “not everyone can see your vision, Katie. That is a gift you have. You have to build it first. Then they will see it. Only you can see it now…”
This ‘keep going’ mentality existed for me in my journey to motherhood too. When I walked through infertility, I believed in the full vision. Of a beautiful life filled with the laughter of kids. I suppose I didn’t really think through the whole lack of sleep and plain-old gauntlet of decisions and pivoting and emotions and unexpected challenges that IS parenting. But that’s okay. I saw the good. Before it was here. I knew I wanted to rock those babies and chaperone field trips. I knew I wanted to watch my husband play a thousand games of chess and Old Maid and give piggy back rides around the kitchen. The vision of all of that pushed me through the hard times that came before it and required resilience and perseverance.
And now? Because I kept going?
3 children in my home that my husband and I get to love and teach. Every. single. day.
A growing summer camp where we expect to serve over 300 families this summer and support even more families online.
Maybe resilience comes from being able to see that whole vision. And maybe it comes with the encouragement to keep going.
If you’re reading this as an entrepreneur or a mama (or just plain anyone who has walked through lots of change!), I’m praying you have that wild belief in yourself first. And also that you know you are surrounded by love. Even if you are the only one that sees the vision. Keep going. Get back up. Change course if you need to. Make a difference. It’s the only way we move forward in this wild world, my friends. Let’s go do something good.
I’m praying for you and cheering you on!
Contact Info:
- Website: More Information About The Literacy Camp ® HERE
- FREE Guide for Families HERE: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos & Build a LOVE of Learning in Your Home
- Instagram: Find Katie on Instagram HERE & The Literacy Camp HERE
- Facebook: Join Katie’s Facebook Community of Parents & Educators HERE
Image Credits
Dana Reinke Photography & Tara Bachelder Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
