CAMPBELL COUNTY, Va – School may be out for summer, but we’re closing the 2025–26 school year with one final Education Impact Award, honoring a Brookville Middle School teacher whose approach to math is making a difference well beyond the classroom.
In Alexis Arnett’s sixth-grade math class, the motto is clear: “It’s OK not to know — it’s not OK not to try.” Arnett says the focus isn’t just on getting the right answer — it’s on accountability in the process.
“They have to have ownership of their work so it has to be their work not mine,” Arnett said. “They’re not copying my examples. They’re doing their own every day and they’re getting feedback from that… if you’re wrong, then we’re gonna fix it. How can we fix it?”
Principal Eddie Martin says Arnett’s connections with students are what help drive that growth.
“Well, she is one of the best,” Martin said. “She developed relationships… she’ll stay out here at lunch interacting with the kids… in the mornings when they’re getting dropped off she’s interacting with them… and it’s just always a positive interaction with the students.”
Arnett says her goal is preparing students for the next level — and building confidence they can carry into high school and beyond.
“I just want them to become more successful in their journey — leave no opportunities behind,” she said.
Blue Eagle Credit Union also recognized Arnett’s impact, awarding $250 to Arnett and $250 to Brookville Middle School for her efforts to improve student outcomes and boost morale.
“I think it also speaks to the relationship… the heart these teachers have for these kids, the belief that they have for these kids,” said Laurissa Thompson, Blue Eagle Credit Union brand manager. “Teachers unlock the potential in kids — and that’s exactly what they’re doing.”
And whether it’s in the classroom or on the field, Arnett’s message stays the same: keep working the process, and the results will follow.