The Power of One: Teaching Beyond the Classroom | S2E5

What if the most important impact you ever make is not in a crowd… but in one child?

In this powerful Tools for Success episode from The Power of One series, veteran educator Kelli Marshall shares the story that shaped her life’s purpose. As a young teacher, she met a 12-year-old boy whose world was “coming at him faster than she could.” What began as simply trying to keep one student in school became a defining moment in understanding the true role of an educator. Through relationship, belief, and consistency, she helped him see his brilliance. Twenty years later, their lives came full circle in the most emotional way — when she became principal at his daughter’s school.

This episode dives into the real weight students carry, the unseen impact of one caring adult, and how teachers, parents, mentors, and community leaders can become the entry point that changes a young person’s direction forever. If you care about youth, leadership, education, or legacy, this conversation will stay with you.

You will walk away with renewed purpose, a powerful reminder that small moments matter, and one important question: Who is your one?

Step into growth and purpose! Discover my books and resources designed to help you lead, learn, and live with impact.

✨ Click here: https://t-sml.mtrbio.com/public/smartlink/toolsforsuccess

//About

Cathy Tooley is the Founder & CEO of Tools for Success and a seasoned educator with over 40 years in K–12 classrooms and school leadership. From high school teacher to principal, Cathy has dedicated her life to supporting educators. In 2014, she launched Tools for Success to provide real, in-person instructional coaching—not just “PD in a box.” She’s the author of The Education System Is Broken, a national speaker, and a fierce advocate for teachers. Through this podcast, she’s spotlighting the ripple effect of great teaching.
🔗 Website | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn

Transcript

Welcome To The Power Of One

SPEAKER_03 0:00

When you sent that um topic over, I always go back to my roots, right? And I'm like, okay, when I started teaching, what was that one? And it brought me immediately to one of my former students. I came across a young man who the world was coming at him and faster than I could. And, you know, every day I started, you know, just trying to establish a relationship with him, to keep him in school first. And then

Meet Educator Kelly Marshall

SPEAKER_03 0:31

I found out this young man is a mathematician. He's brilliant. And I started to really just realize what my role as a teacher was. At 22, 23, I didn't know. And this one young man, the power of that one young man, where I saw something that he hadn't seen in himself, and it changed my world. It made me plan better. It made me recognize my role. And it also was terrifying because I recognized this young man's life now for eight to nine hours a day was in my hands. Let's fast forward 20 years. I'm a school principal, all

The Sixth Grader Who Changed Everything

SPEAKER_03 1:20

girl building, having the time in my life, and there's this wiry little kid in one of our classrooms. This young lady, smart, everybody knew she was smart, but oh, she was wiring. And I said, you know what? I'm gonna go talk to this little girl's parent. I hear Miss Marshall.

unknown 1:40

No.

SPEAKER_04 1:41

Yes. No.

SPEAKER_03 1:43

Yes. It was his daughter.

Cathy Tooley 1:50

Hi everybody, thanks for joining us on another episode of our series that we're doing right now called The Power of One. I am honored to be joined today by the one, the only, the Kelly Marshall. Um, so funny side story is that Kelly and Ice Paths, you know, we we both have lived our lives in education, have literally done this.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

Phew. Absolutely. Pew, phew, phew.

Cathy Tooley 2:14

I've come after her, or she's heard my name, I've heard her name, but we had never met until gosh, maybe about a little over a year ago. Maybe. And and now, uh, yeah, Kelly is in my circle. So I'm gonna give Kelly a chance to introduce herself and tell us about who you are and what you do and the things we should know about Kelly Marshall.

SPEAKER_03 2:35

Well, listen, thank you so much for having me. You're welcome. Um, Kelly Marshall, and I always say that you know what, I'm a teacher. Yes, I've been a teacher for 30 years. Um, but I have had the opportunity to work with some phenomenal educators. Launching schools, um, supporting in the launch of schools, and most recently um just transitioned from a role as senior vice president of schools with the Mind Trust. And so taking some time now to um get what I'm considering is bind elements, right? Getting my own thing off and running, but just wanting to get back into schools and do the good work. That's where our heart is. It's it keeps pulling me back. It keeps pulling me back.

Cathy Tooley 3:16

We'll let you go.

SPEAKER_03 3:17

I'm an educator. That's what I always say. I'm an educator and I spend my time supporting schools.

Cathy Tooley 3:22

Amen. So um I emailed all the guests that I asked to be on this um podcast and said the overarching theme is the power of one.

SPEAKER_03 3:34

What's your one today? Well, let me tell you, when you sent that um topic over, I always go back to my roots, right? And I'm like, okay, when I started teaching, what was that one? And it brought me immediately to one of my former students. Always does, right? Oh, always. And they teach us more than they realize. Listen, I was an elementary teacher, elementary certified, and ended up in a pretty rough middle school where I was teaching sixth grade math. And I came They loved on that. Right, right. And I came across a young man who the world was coming at him and faster than I could. And, you know, new teacher. I'm 22, 23 years old.

Cathy Tooley 4:18

That's a profound statement.

SPEAKER_03 4:19

Yeah. The world was coming at him. The world was coming at him faster than I could. Exactly. And, you know, every day I started, you know, just trying to establish a relationship with him, to keep him in school first. And then I found out this young man is a mathematician. He's brilliant. And I started to really just realize what my role as a teacher was. At 22, 23, I didn't know. I I had a job.

Cathy Tooley 4:50

That's it.

SPEAKER_03 4:51

I was getting a check, and I had bought a car.

Cathy Tooley 4:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:54

I had a car, I had started to have bills, and I'm like, okay, I got a job. And this one young man, the power of that one young man, where I saw something that he hadn't seen in himself.

Cathy Tooley 5:08

But we were born to do.

Discovering Talent Through Relationship

SPEAKER_03 5:10

And it changed my world. It made me plan better. It made me recognize my role. And it also was terrifying because I recognized this man's life is in my hands because I was able to reach him. I don't know how. It could have been age, right? It could have been that I said the right things or listened to the right music that he connected to. But this young man's life now, for eight to nine hours a day, was in my hands. And that same worldly child that used to run out of the building, started hanging out later. How can I help? How can I help? And we ended up not only establishing a relationship with him.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

What grade was he in?

SPEAKER_03 6:03

Oh, it was sixth grade. Sixth grade. Um he was one of my older sixth graders. Um, but so how old are they then? Listen, about 12.

unknown 6:13

12.

SPEAKER_03 6:13

About 12 years old. But he had experienced more at 12 and 13 than I even to this day had. I know. And he started to bring his friends. And he's like, listen, we're gonna stay after. The relationship that I started with this young man transitioned into we're putting together math competitions, we've got tutoring happening. I like it was amazing. And I I get chills even thinking about it now. Let's fast forward 20 years. I'm a school principal, all girl building, having the time of my life, and there's this wiry little wiry little kid in my in one of my classrooms, giving the teachers the blues. This young lady, smart, everybody knew she was smart, but oh, she was wiry. I've had a one or two of those kids in my day. I'm in, I'm in the pickup line, and you know, I'm working, you know, trying to make sure kids are safe. Safely getting into the vehicles to go home. And I said, you know what? I'm gonna go talk to this little girl's parent. I hear, Miss Marshall.

unknown 7:23

No.

SPEAKER_03 7:24

Yes. No, yes, it was his daughter. And I started bawling. I started bawling in the pickup line. He gets out the car, we're blocking traffic, right? He runs over to hug me. Right. You don't mess with the biggest thing. He mess with the pickup line, right? He runs over to hug me and he said, you know what? I am so God told me to send her to the school. It's an all-girls school. No one was really told. He didn't know you were there. No. He had no idea. Our path after we had that great, you know, relationship in sixth grade, like I said, the world was coming at him faster than I could. So I don't know the trajectory of his life after our middle school experience, but it circled back 20 years later where I had his daughter. And then he was one of my parents. And when I say, to this day we're still connected, when I say that this young lady has gone on and she is now in college, like it would, it was amazing. But to have that power of one child that taught me my role as an educator, I I mean, I can't put it into words. So that's my power of one.

Cathy Tooley 8:39

I

Full-Circle Moment In The Pickup Line

Cathy Tooley 8:40

you and I taught many of the same kind of students. Absolutely. And I will be forever grateful for that.

unknown 8:46

Yes.

Cathy Tooley 8:46

You know, as a Lily White grew up in suburbia that it comes, I know nothing about I wasn't raised in diversity. I wasn't raised in um, I mean, I I wasn't ignorant of it, but I didn't know it. And when I think of when people will say to me now, how do you get it? And I will say, because my kids taught it to me.

SPEAKER_00 9:08

That's right.

Cathy Tooley 9:10

I grinded my teeth in a um, back then it was busing, remember? But a very, very diverse population. No, the township school is not as diverse now because I think busing has stopped here in our city, but but I remember them telling me story after story after story after story. And that statement of the world was coming at him faster than you could get to him. By the time I had them, they're high school students. That's right. So I've lost three years at least by the time they're coming through my doors, and thinking I have so little time before I I'm gonna call it what it is, before the grips of evil have a hold of them so strongly that I don't know that I have it in me to pull them out.

SPEAKER_03 9:56

That's right.

Cathy Tooley 9:57

To pull them out. Um, and I so I think of, I don't think I've ever shared this story with you. I had a I had a young man, I I want to say his name, but I won't um for his parents' sake. But he had a very popular name that like everyone would know. And and I used to tease him about that popular name, but it would have referred to someone who was way before his time. I was dating myself with his name. You know, almost like one of those when you say something about a musical and they look at you like okay. Okay, it's Miss Tooley, you know. She's a little touched. Uh but anyway, um a typical kid, you write just like you said, I was an assistant principal at the time, my first year as an assistant principal, and he he just he didn't get in trouble. He just did that. I would say, here's the line. He knew right how to go. Got it right up on top right next to it. And we had at my school at the time what we called, you remember, progressive discipline. I do. Yep. Those of you that don't know what that means. It means we're gonna, you know, you show up at my office the first time I'm gonna give you detention. The next time I might do a Saturday school. I'm gonna work it up, even though your offenses are pretty benign. Right. Remember? Line right here, they're they're annoyances enough. I always gave them to the analogy have you ever swatted a fly and killed that with that fleece water that you could have killed 27 flies? Because what happened was the fly was buzzing around and you swatted, and you buzzed around, and then you pick up that fleece water and you swat. And I always felt like progressive discipline was that way.

SPEAKER_03 11:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

I'm ultimately expelling

When The World Gets There First

SPEAKER_00 11:30

a student for being an annoyance. They're a gnat. That's it. You're you're but you're building that rap sheet. That's what you're doing. That's it. You're building the rap sheet. No differently than, oh my gosh, thank you. That's exactly how I felt.

Cathy Tooley 11:42

But that was what my township did. I was an assistant principal who, as you said, had a job within that township, and that's what I did. And so this particular kid, I liked him. He was annoying as I'll get out. And I never had him as a student. I only had him in, you know, as a student when I was an assistant principal. And when he would come to my office, we'd have the best conversations, almost like, you know, why? Why are you doing this? And he never would answer me and never would answer me. And well then, and you know, in education, those of you that don't, we play this game. Kelly knows she's played it. We expel them at Christmas because it's past count day. Yeah. So we've already gotten to count them and get their tax dollars. But then we bring them back in January, start the rap sheet, I love your words, all over again. And then after what? Spring break. Count day. Right, after spring day, then we set them out again. Yeah. Well, in a high school, I can only do that so long before what I've done is they're not gonna graduate now. There's not enough time for them to make up the credits because of being expelled. And for a high school, generally it's about first semester of your sophomore year. You could go out your freshman year, we could do enough summer school or night school, and but you start losing all of that. Dug a hole too deep. It's too deep. I'm not gonna get you through. So I knew this child was dangerously closing this, and I will never forget this conversation. It's it's kind of like that moment you said when he started all of a sudden coming after school and he started bringing his friends. Mine sadly went the other way. We had a beautiful conversation where I said, I, you know, we were getting that rap sheet. We were we were headed for another expulsion. This kid had been down at first semester his freshman year, second semester his freshman year, and and I will never forget. I said, You are tying my hands. I I'm not gonna have any choice. Why? I've said the same thing. And he looked me in the eyes, and I'll never forget what he said. He said, Miss Thule, listen to me. I'm gonna make more money this week than you'll make in a lifetime. I will never see 21, not likely 19. If you don't let me go, I will go down this hallway and slap one of your teachers hard enough that I could go back and get out of here. So either let me go and stop bringing me back and let me live the life that I'm destined to live. And I thought when you said that a minute ago, the world world gotten hold of him. Yes. Yeah. Faster than I had a chance to. And my guidance counselor at the time, whom I adored, we called his father a great man. And as I watched him walk out the long front walkway of our school, I said to my guidance counselor, he's gonna be on the news either in jail or dead. And two months later he was dead.

SPEAKER_03 14:29

I'm I'm up to about 24. I stopped counting. So I've been in public education for 30 years, and to have could count 24 souls lost. That's why that power of one. Because that he taught me my purpose. But you taught him.

SPEAKER_00 14:50

I taught him, who then is teaching his daughter. Exactly. She will teach. And you don't even know the conversations he's had beyond.

Cathy Tooley 14:59

You're just talking about the one immediate, what we know, and can visibly see whether or not. That's right. But you know that he has repeated that story of that person made a difference. That teacher made a difference. And I uh you know, we just did a whole uh series, the whole first episode. Matter of fact, ironically, Kelly, you were supposed to be on that episode. Yes, by accident. And it didn't make it here. But you know, I I really believe it's because the Lord wanted you here on this one. Um, and and I see it so clearly that it's not about you and me, it is truly the the the goodness of power and evil.

SPEAKER_03 15:34

Yes.

Cathy Tooley 15:35

And I think, especially today, where social media, where evil is so accessible to our students now that wasn't for you and I. That's right. You know, I always say to people that if you are a mean girl at school and I really you made my life horrible at school, when I got on that bus, I got peace. Because I went home. Now it follows.

SPEAKER_03 15:59

No peace for these kids. No peace. None. The world is coming at them.

Cathy Tooley 16:04

At them faster. That's right. And so I wonder if that's the intention the Lord has for this. Is where can we, the you's and the me's, and those that was terrible grammar, the you's and the me's. For those of you English teachers,

Discipline, Systems, And Lost Kids

Cathy Tooley 16:20

I taught English, don't even do it, don't put a comment, I don't want to read it. I'm saying it was bad grammar. But the you's and the means can make a difference by having a podcast like this. That's right. Because there is a mom out there right now who isn't a teacher, but she's got those boys listening to her. They're coming to her house for Kool-Aid or a pool or uh or uh or there is uh um an employer sitting right now with impressionable teenagers working for them. That's right.

SPEAKER_03 16:52

You've got to be resilient, you've got to get to them. That's it. You've got to get to them because one if you if you're working with the right intention, right? That's it. The Lord will open up a space that you can get to them. Amen, amen, amen, amen.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

And once you don't even have to have the right answer, right? He'll give them to you. He sure will give them to you.

Cathy Tooley 17:10

Just shut up long enough to be sure he'll give them to you. Sure will. And I I wonder, can you imagine, oh, I just got goosebumps. Can you imagine that the movement that this podcast could start in that what if everyone watching this podcast took a hold of one teenager and pulled them away from, as you said, I love your quote, the world getting a hold of them.

SPEAKER_03 17:35

Well, and that's digestible, right? Just one. If I'm that new teacher coming in and I'm struggling, right?

SPEAKER_01 17:40

Right.

SPEAKER_03 17:41

And if I just know if I can get to one, right? Because if again, when I'm true in my intentions, it's gonna permeate throughout the rest of it. I didn't ask for a group of kids to come in for tutoring.

Cathy Tooley 17:54

You betcha. They just came.

SPEAKER_03 17:56

Exactly. And that doesn't mean I was neglecting the others.

Cathy Tooley 17:58

No, of course not.

SPEAKER_00 17:59

I absolutely wasn't. I had the same thing. They started eating lunch with me. They would start coming to my room after school, and I used to think, don't y'all have places to go? I I do. I want to go home and eat. But but they just chatted. But but this podcast is the entry point.

SPEAKER_03 18:13

You gotta find the entry point.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

I don't often have happen Kelly on this podcast where I am where I don't have any words that I don't have any words.

SPEAKER_03 18:26

That's usually what happens when we talk, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

When you and I talk, we what if this podcast is that very entry point? I I don't believe what the media says about our youth out there today. I don't I believe they are hurting, hurting broken birds that just need someone to pick them up and put a split on their way out. They're crying out. And we're so busy watching the skewed versions of what are being brought through our screens, both the television and our phones, because it's I I I'm gonna do a podcast later about a very poignant time in my life where I was tonight's top news story for a very, very long time.

Cathy Tooley 19:12

And I will say in that podcast, and I'm gonna say it right now, pay attention to what they'll say. They say tonight's top news story. They are selling you a story. And sometimes that story um, you know, I mean, let's not kid each other, I have an entire marketing team to sell you the story that is Kathy Thule and Tools for Success.

SPEAKER_03 19:36

It has to attend to an audience.

Cathy Tooley 19:37

It has to attend to an audience. Um and I I I I just think of the the the the Lord just I mean, the Lord, what a different world if every single person, if the only intention of this podcast ever came comes from this conversation where everyone on the other side of this screen gets a hold of one child. The one that um yeah, it's just been told stories. I I I don't think my daughter-in-law will mind me sharing this, and if she does, let's pray she never watches the episode. So let's go with that. You know, I'll just make sure she never watches this. But my I adore my daughter-in-law, I adore both of them. But my youngest daughter-in-law began dating our son when they were sophomores in high school. And from the moment Kelly came into our lives, I've loved that girl. But I've never believed that Kelly saw in herself what I always saw in her. And so, so, you know, you know, you take life, you know, they went to prom and, you know, they did all the high school things, and then they went off to separate colleges. And it was the freshman Christmas. Jake had come home, our youngest um had come home from Christmas, and you know, he's like, uh, Kelly's somewhat upset about, you know, that we don't see each other all the time. Because they went from high school, they're seeing each other every day. Right. They're at lunch together, they're they're in show choir together, etc., etc., etc. And she's upset. And I said to him, You're not dating Kelly anymore. If you don't see Kelly as your wife and the mother of your children, cut it her loose.

SPEAKER_03 21:10

That's right.

Cathy Tooley 21:10

How dare you selfishly continue to date her so you have a girlfriend and something to do on weekends if that's not who you see her being. So it's time for you to have the tough conversation. If she doesn't see you as a husband and a father of her children, then it's time for you to let each other go.

Goodness, Evil, And Social Media Pressure

Cathy Tooley 21:30

And he called us, you know, it got kind of quiet in the car. We got and he called us, and um he said, Kelly and I had a long talk. He said, I'm gonna marry that girl someday. And they've been married now six years and just gave birth to our um youngest granddaughter. And throughout my knowing Kelly, um, she was raised by two parents who love her. And I believe uh, because I believe as parents, you know, we do the best we can.

SPEAKER_03 21:54

Absolutely.

Cathy Tooley 21:55

Know what I think ever gives birth to a child and said, I'm gonna screw this kid's child up.

Faith, Intention, And Small Beginnings

Cathy Tooley 22:00

Some did, but I don't think they intend it. But what I know for sure is I think Kelly would tell you that if she was sitting here. The Kelly that I know today is not the Kelly that I knew as a sophomore in high school. Because she has begun to see and begin to believe the seeds that I think our family not just me feeds into. Feeds into it. That's right. She's an incredible wife to our son. She is an amazing mother. And she's a teacher.

SPEAKER_03 22:33

Oh, wow.

Cathy Tooley 22:34

Yeah, all three of our kids marry teacher, but Kelly was such a scared, insecure teacher. And not today. She's a powerful teacher who sees what she does. And I believe it's the love of our family. And as you said what you just said, I thought, how does that resonate into the love into this podcast?

unknown 22:54

That's right. Wow.

Cathy Tooley 22:55

Kelly, thank you from you schooled me today. And I I appreciate, I don't often feel schooled in my own podcast, but I, so that is my challenge. That is my challenge to those of you watching this podcast today. I don't care where you're walking in life. I don't care if you're making billions and billions of dollars or you're worrying how your next nickel is coming out. What I do know is this there is a child who is watching you and is looking for just you. I had a guest earlier today talking about how a person spoke into them. And my ask of you is this open your eyes and see what the Lord put right in front of you. The world would be a different place, folks. Our social media would be a different place if we just began to believe in the power of a child. And you don't have to. Kelly was lucky enough. I was lucky enough to be in a school building. But I'll bet you we could have both told you stories of people who were not educators who spoke into us. And that's my challenge for you today. Thank you for watching, and we look forward to seeing you on our next episode. God bless.