LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jessika Timmons was nominated by her colleague Melanie Fields.

After both women were hired in 2005, Jessika Timmons and Melanie Fields developed an immediate friendship based on their shared love of children and education. Dr. Timmons researches strategies, songs, and lessons to motivate students and build morale in her school. She has bulletin boards in her classroom that celebrate her students' acheivements, test scores and progress at various levels. She awards students with snow cones or cotton candy during their lunch break, which allows others to see how hard work pays off.

In 2006, Dr. Timmons founded the Totally Talented Club at Castle Hill Elementary. She teaches the students about stage management and performance while helping them develop their singing, dancing and acting skills. Performing in several plays, competing on the debate team, singing and dancing in front of large crowds, and feeling confident has allowed the stage to serve as a second home for students. Dr. Timmons also trains students in multiple areas such as dance, voice, drama, cheerleading, flags, stage directing, poetry, public speaking, and more.

Her commitment to community service influences her students. She requires the elementary aged students to give back before and after school through community service. She teaches her former students to be leaders and to volunteer their time by directing the younger students. Dr. Timmons volunteers her time and works tirelessly with students as they take on new ventures, such as competing in the City of Lauderhill’s annual MLK Spelling Bee. She and her colleague co-sponsor an Annual Spelling Bee for the students at Castle Hill to promote academic greatness.

"Dr. Timmons is a celebrity at our school because she is very talented, humble, wise, and giving," Fields said. "Dr. Timmons collaborates with teachers and the community to make learning worthwhile in whatever way she presents it. She is a great leader because it is her natural born gift. Wherever Dr. Timmons goes and whatever she does, she makes every moment a great one. She knows how to work with others and be a team player. She knows when to lead and when to follow, a must for all leaders."

Dr. Jessika Simone Timmons is also a proud, active member of the Broward County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She serves as Vice President of Fiscal Affairs and was previously named Soror of the Year. She volunteers her time to raise funds for the children and families of the Broward County community through scholarships, mentorships, awareness events and more. With health and fitness as a priority in her life, especially after having lost both parents within a year’s time span, she has voluntarily co-chaired a Delta 5K Race for Health. It raises thousands of dollars for scholarships, programs, and other events to promote unity and a healthy lifestyle within the community. She is also a member of the Delta Education & Life Development Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization that raises money and organizes events to better the Broward County community.

Dr. Timmons believes in preparing students for career and college readiness with the appropriate 21st century skills. Castle Hill Elementary School is an inner city school with a high poverty and English Language Learners population. To help students express their thoughts and emotions in a positive way, Dr. Timmons teamed up with the Jason Taylor Foundation’s Blue Apple Poetry Club. She teaches students poetic skills, the basis of a poem, and how to present in front of others. She presents poetry for them and challenges students to write. Even other teachers and administrators  participate, which encourages the students to do the same. 

Dr. Timmons lets the students know that they are mastering common core standards, and that they are all wonderful and poetic students. At the end of the school year, students are allowed to showcase their poems to other students from various schools at a Poetry Slam sponsored by the Jason Taylor Foundation. It inspires students to write and improve their writing over time.

"We have our Family Literacy Nights every year," said Fields. "This year, Dr. Timmons focused on folktales. When the parents and students entered the cafeteria, we had books on the table for them to read together. Teachers volunteered to dress up as story book characters, and when the parents broke out into workshops, the students stayed in the cafeteria to hear stories by those teachers, who were dressed up. When the parents came back to the cafeteria, the administrators and Dr. Timmons shared some information, food was served, and a phenomenal Gingerbread Man play was performed before our eyes."

Throughout the school year, Dr. Timmons hosts read-ins where community leaders and business members read to her students. Because of Dr. Timmons' enthusiasm and vision for making reading important, her students make tremendous progress. For the past two years, Castle Hill Elementary School had to stay open for an extra hour so the students could practice reading, which was very overwhelming. Because of Dr. Timmons’ innovative planning and creative ideas, the school has returned to a regular school schedule. Dr. Timmons and Fields also collaborated on the MLK Day of Service grant, which they won. 

Jessika Timmons is a very resourceful educator who shares her ideas and resources with school staff, students, and parents. She presents lessons and shares important information via PowerPoint presentations, morning announcements, and her Reading Blog. She trains teachers throughout the school year and models how to use reading intervention and other reading-related resources. Dr. Timmons mentors new and veteran teachers at her school by helping them set goals, modeling expected lessons, and providing them with resources and moral support. Sometimes, Dr. Timmons takes the role as administrator when the administrators are not on campus. She is great at listening, making detailed observations, and finding solutions to problems versus complaining or whining. 

Dr. Timmons has taught kindergarten, third grade, and fourth grade. She graduated magna cum laude with her Master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University in Reading Education in 2010. In December of 2016, she completed her Doctorate degree in Education with a major in Leadership Education and minor in Curriculum Development.

She was voted Teacher of the Year at Castle Hill Elementary School in 2011, receiving nominations from both parents and teachers. She plans events for the school that promote college and career readiness and literacy such as a Career Day, community read ins, and more. One of her most memorable accomplishments was being the 1st place winner of the First Annual Lauderhill’s Got Talent competition in 2016. She was also recognized by Governor Rick Scott for her outstanding achievement and commitment for the Black History Month Excellence in Education Award. In 2017, she was selected as an Outstanding Woman of the City of Lauderhill.

Dr. Timmons is an entrepreneur at heart and has two active businesses in the City of Lauderhill. As owner of the Jai Simone Boutique, she started her own lipstick line called Lip Service Cosmetics, LLC along with jewelry and accessories. She enjoys helping people look and feel their best! She also started another company called Jai Simone Photography, where she does photo shoots, weddings, event photos and more.

Dr. Timmons uses her financial stability to give back to those who are less fortunate. Last year, she created a scholarship for high school students and gave away $1,000 to two deserving students from different high schools. She consistently sponsors students in the community to attend college, go on college tours, educational trips, and receive scholarships. She remembers being invited on many academic trips, but having to forfeit because her mother, a single parent, was unable to afford to send her. She vowed to give other deserving students the opportunity to capitalize on every experience available. In memory of her mother, the late Freida Timmons Burgess, Dr. Timmons promotes Breast Cancer Awareness in the community annually by speaking publicly, organizing events, and raising money to benefit breast cancer research.

Dr. Timmons will use student data, her observations, and requests made by others to come up with a fabulous event or activity. Every year, she has Career Day and invites parents and the community to share what they do at their jobs. Her ability to be professional and network has helped her school receive many donations to reward students for their effort and hard work. Dr. Timmons’ Totally Talented Club is the most popular club at school because the students are able to release hidden talents, pain, or anger that many fail to see. Dr. Timmons’ love for fashion has helped inspire many students come out of their shell and be confident with who they are. 

"Dr. Timmons' persuit to further her education and start her own businesses has inspired many students to want to learn and research more, so they too, could be the next inspiring leader," Fields said. "Dr. Timmons is just so awesome! I love great teachers like her who teach, inspire, and lead. I highly recommend Dr. Jessika Timmons for the Lifechanger of the Year because she has and continues to change lives."