Finding Purpose While Building Leaders: Meet Middle School Teacher, Lindsay Davis

When Lindsay Davis joined North Carolina Virtual Academy (NCVA) in 2018, she found her calling. Now in her eighth year with the school, the Greenville-based educator has become a cornerstone of NCVA’s middle school program, helping students grow academically, emotionally, and as young leaders through her seventh-grade remediation courses and her work with the school’s Junior Beta Club. 

“I love being able to push the kids from being behind grade level in reading and pushing them to grade level or even beyond,” Ms. Davis says. “Being able to see that progress in them – that has been the highlight of the last two years.” 

A Nontraditional Path to the Classroom 

Teaching wasn’t always part of Ms. Davis’s plan. Her first love was dance. She studied dance performance at East Carolina University, later returning to major in sociology – something that finally made sense. 

“All my life, I felt kind of out of place,” she says. “Then I started with sociology, and I felt like this is where I belong. I had finally found a common group.” 

After an internship in child advocacy and a chance encounter at a career fair, she took a leap into teaching through a lateral entry program. Fourteen years later, she’s never looked back. 

“After my first year, I fell in love with it,” she says. “Middle school is where I’m meant to be. It takes a special breed of us, and I love it.” 

A Chance to Serve Students Who Need It Most 

Ms. Davis didn’t originally consider online learning. But when a move back to Wilmington aligned with statewide teacher shortages in 2018, a virtual teaching position with NCVA caught her eye. 

“I loved being in the classroom,” Ms. Davis explains. “But something was calling me back home, and New Hanover County had no jobs open. NCVA felt like the right choice.” 

Her sociology background quickly found purpose again – this time in supporting students across rural and underserved communities. 

“For so many of our students, we are their only choice for a high-quality education,” she says. “That’s what drew me in and what has made me stay.” 

One of her greatest joys is seeing former students – now high schoolers – reach out for guidance, sometimes years later. 

“Just recently, a former student who’s now a junior emailed asking for a letter of recommendation for the Air Force Academy summer seminar. That’s the stuff I love,” she says. “Because we’re K–12, I get their siblings too. I love having those long-term relationships.” 

Launching Leaders: NCVA’s Junior Beta Club 

Last year, Ms. Davis signed on to help launch NCVA’s first-ever Junior Beta Club, a national organization focused on service, character, leadership, and achievement. With 15 members this year and growing interest, it’s quickly becoming a standout program within the school. 

“I love seeing things go from the ground up,” Ms. Davis says. “They trusted me to take it and go with it, and it’s been incredibly rewarding.” 

To be part of Junior Beta, students must maintain all A’s and B’s, have strong attendance, submit academic and personal references, and participate in monthly meetings and service activities. 

“We spend four months focusing on our four pillars: achievement, character, leadership, and service,” she explains. “I want students to understand why they’re in Beta Club and how to represent themselves, both inside and outside of school.” 

Building Hearts for Service 

Service is at the heart of the Junior Beta Club. Students must complete 20 hours of community service each year, and Ms. Davis has watched them grow through these commitments. 

Last year’s club president found her calling at a local animal shelter. 

“She went to the Humane Society every Tuesday,” Ms. Davis shares. “She walked dogs, bathed them, fed the cats and she didn’t start doing that until Beta Club. It became her weekly routine. I love seeing things like that.” 

Other projects include: 

• Handmade Cards for Veterans Day. Students create and mail handmade thank-you cards to veterans across the state. It’s one of the club’s most popular and heartfelt traditions. 

“All we have to do is tell them, and next thing you know we’re flooded with emails asking where to send them,” Ms. Davis laughs. “They love doing it.” 

• December Food Drive. This winter, the club is organizing a statewide nonperishable food drive. Students will collect donations in their communities and bring them to regional meetups, where club members will help coordinate drop-offs to local food banks. 

“We want to make this as big as possible,” Ms. Davis says. “It’s such an important way to teach kids what service really looks like.” 

Looking Ahead: A State Convention and New Opportunities 

Early next year, Ms. Davis will be taking the club to Greensboro to attend the North Carolina Junior Beta State Convention, an opportunity she believes could be transformative. 

“Last year we got a late start, but now we know what to expect,” she says. “This is something so valuable for our students. We’re hoping for a great turnout.” 

Rooted in Community, Driven by Purpose 

From her days studying ballet to raising a son who joined the Junior Beta Club himself, Ms. Davis’s journey has been one of rediscovering purpose, passion and connection. At NCVA, she says she has found a place where all of it comes together. 

“I’ve found a different way to put my sociology degree to work,” she says. “Knowing the students I teach and where they are in North Carolina – it matters. What we’re doing matters.” 

And for the students who continue to email years later – even just one – she says that’s enough. 

“They’re only an email away,” she says. “And that’s what keeps me here.” 

Is Online Learning Right for You? 

Explore North Carolina Virtual Academy and discover how our flexible online programs can empower your child to thrive, graduate early, and achieve their goals sooner. Click here to get started today! 

Back to Blog