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Sharing the stories of families who have chosen careers in Colonial.

Nathan Waters and Ahtiya Johnson grew up in the same Chester, Pa. neighborhood, but never met and fell in love until 2013. Johnson eventually moved to Delaware where she graduated from William Penn in 2010. Today, she works as the district’s school choice and unit count specialist while her fiancé,  Nathan, is a counselor at Kathleen H. Wilbur Elementary School. “Nathan and I find value in being an active part of shaping the minds of future leaders in our local community. As New Castle residents, we have a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students – who are also our neighbors!” Johnson says. This Colonial couple enjoys being able to “talk shop” at home when appropriate, but more than that, they love being able to influence the lives of students. “Frankly, it’s one of the most important reasons why we both chose to become educators, especially in Colonial. We want to ignite a love of learning and create realistic opportunities to help students further themselves. More importantly, as a young Black couple, we live by the legacy of ‘lifting as you climb’ so, becoming a Black educator means being a leader in a community such as Colonial that recognizes and values Black students,” Waters says. Johnson is currently working on a graduate degree to obtain a Master of Education in School Leadership while also planning the couple’s destination wedding in February of 2024. The couple has two children ages 10 and two. “With our line of work, Colonial has become less of a ‘place to go every day’ and more of a way of life. Helping and serving others is simple when we do that for each other and our family each day! WE are so proud to be a part of  the Power of WE!”