By Horatio Glover ’26
This article profiles Alijah Ellis, a Derby graduate and current Derby educator.
‘’Derby has always gotten the short end of the stick, but these kids don’t need people who leave, they need someone willing to stay and do the hard stuff.’’ This is Alijah Ellis, a paraeducator at Derby Middle School (DMS) who has dedicated his career to giving back to the community that helped shape him. These words from Ellis embody his mission to help give back to the community that gave their all to him. He works tirelessly to help inspire the next generation, whether it is as an educator, a coach, or a mentor for generations to come.
‘’Energetic, motivational and encouraging; that’s what I think that makes him unique. The energy that he brings, especially to the team and and how he impacts our team, makes a huge impact. He has a good sense of humor, too. That’s what makes him a good friend /coach. He gives off a high school teenager vibe and you can relate to him in many ways. You can bond with him pretty good,” said Quincy Carter ‘26.
Ellis works in the Behavioral Learning Center (BLC) at DMS. His days start at 7:30 am as he gets ready and prepares class for the day. The BLC is small and has around ten students, which makes it easier for Ellis to help each student individually. The BLC runs on a daily schedule. When I first arrived, it was toward the end of their social studies period and Ellis was working with a student, helping him with his social studies work. The student was having a hard time staying on track and doing the work; Ellis pulled up a chair next to him, explained his work, and helped him cooperate to finish the last part of his assignment.
Ellis’ commitment to helping students like this is the result of his positive experience growing up in Derby. Ellis came late to Derby, only entering into the school system during eighth grade, however, felt quickly at home. ‘’I grew up in a time where there was a lot of support here. There still is, but also too, that’s why I’m taking on the role [para educator and coach] that I am today.’’ He also spoke about how sports changed him and molded him into the person he is today. “I got to play alongside lifelong friends. I got to again, embrace hardship. You know, everybody got to, we got to witness hardship, to {grow} with each other. We got to go through adversity with one another. That’s what made us closer. You know, we competed and stuff like that, I look back and I just see that it was, it was a wonderful time with the {football} team.’’
Minutes later, Ellis went to help a student who didn’t want to do his classwork. While the child was uncooperative with Ellis and his peers, Ellis told him he had to finish his work on the computer if he wants to continue to have a good rest of the day.
At 10:20, only an hour into my stay, the class came together for a group reading assignment. During the group reading time, Ellis went to help a 7th grader who was struggling with her reading work. Ellis helped her by talking to her about the work and breaking down it down slowly piece by piece, and the student slowly started to understand the work and was able to finish the rest by herself.
All these little moments showcase Ellis’s dedication to Derby. “’These kids don’t need people who keep leaving, they need someone who’s willing to stay and do something that other people aren’t willing to do. That is why I decided to also coach [football and track], because I was part of it,” he said.
Ellis sees Derby’s biggest strength as its small size, He shares, “My favorite thing about Derby is how small it is, I guess you could say, and how I grew up in a time where there was a lot of support here. Everyone knew one another. Everyone came and supported each other, whether it was at Pop Warner games, Little League games, recreational basketball games, just the whole town was a part of it and stuff.’’ Ellis is passionate about preserving and reviving the close-knit community for generations to come.
Ellis’s dream is to help rebuild the football community. He fondly recalls a time in pop warner when people came out and it was just the heart of the town.’ “I came from a time where Pop Warner, where we’re stuck at the Pop Warner field from 8 am to 6 pm every weekend because it’s just packed with fans and crowds and kids who are just invested and just want to play and have fun with football and stuff. So I would like to see that get going again, but again it won’t start until we do.’’ When Ellis first came to DMS he started a after-school football club but sadly, it didn’t get off the ground.
Ellis has continuously given back to the community that has shaped him to the person who he’s today and is helping bring back the Derby he knew growing up, whether it’s by working in the BLC or inspiring young athletes as a coach. He is shaping the next generation with the same values of perseverance, camaraderie, and support that help him in his time here at Derby. Ellis is a constant reminder of the impact one person can have when they choose to stay, invest, and give back. He is slowly rebuilding Derby one student, one player, and one moment at a time.
The Raider Press 