From Classroom to Community: My Journey to GiGi’s Playhouse

For years, I found my rhythm in the classroom, teaching, connecting, watching light bulbs flicker on in students’ eyes. I was deeply rooted in the world of education, where every day brought new challenges and new chances to make a difference. After moving back to North Carolina, my teaching career took a shift. I left the classroom but I began to feel something stirring in me, an urge to to serve in a different way, to connect more deeply with families and individuals outside the traditional classroom setting. After speaking with a family friend who shared about a non-profit just down the road from me, I knew a new opportunity was ahead. That led me to GiGi’s Playhouse.

Leaving teaching wasn’t an easy decision. Teaching is more than a job; it becomes part of who you are. But I saw an opportunity to lead in a way outside of the classroom as a Program Leader at GiGi’s Playhouse, an organization that offers free, purposeful programs for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. What drew me in was the mission: a commitment to changing perceptions, building skills, and celebrating every achievement, no matter how small.

Transitioning into this role has been critical for me without the daily classroom experience. At GiGi’s, I don’t just guide a program, I help shape experiences that empower individuals and their families. I work alongside passionate volunteers, dedicated parents, and, most importantly, the participants themselves, whose joy and resilience remind me daily why this work matters.

What makes this experience so meaningful is the relationships. I get to know participants by personality, strength, and potential. We celebrate progress that might be invisible to the outside world but means everything to us. We measure success in laughter, in confidence gained, in the moment someone tries something new and believes they can do it.

I’ve also grown personally. Leading at GiGi’s has taught me to be more present, more patient, and more open. The programs we run are carefully crafted, but it’s the human connection that brings them to life. I’ve learned to lead with my heart and to find strength in community.

Looking back, I realize that I haven’t left teaching, I’ve expanded it. I still educate, support, and cheer people on. I just do it in a different setting, with a broader lens. GiGi’s Playhouse has become my new classroom, filled with inspiration, joy, and endless possibilities.

To anyone considering a change, I encourage you to follow that inner nudge. Growth lives on the other side of change, and sometimes, the most meaningful classrooms aren’t in schools at all.

Lastly, volunteering is truly the heartbeat of GiGi’s Playhouse. Every program we offer is made possible by the time, talent, and dedication of incredible volunteers. From literacy and math tutoring to fitness, social, and career development programs, everything we provide is completely free to families which makes volunteer support not just helpful, but essential. Whether you’re leading a class, helping behind the scenes, or simply showing up with a smile, volunteers make a lasting impact and often find themselves deeply changed by the experience. It’s a powerful reminder that when people come together to give freely of themselves, real transformation happens.

Written by Constance Leder