New Teacher Spotlight: Lejoi Reese

By Lauren W.

October 31, 2021

What’s an arts specialist? Lejoi is trying to figure that out too! Lejoi Reece is KLHS’s “art specialist”, although she doesn’t know exactly what that is supposed to mean. She teaches art here at KLHS, as well as does all the art and design for the school. Anything that is branded with KLHS, she does. Maybe that is what an arts specialist is. She came to our community because she loves our school’s philosophy, and has never regretted it! She really likes her current job, because she can combine art and design, as well as teach.

In addition to teaching, Lejoi has founded a jewelry business, named “Brave Chick”. One of her friends thought it would be a good idea for her to found a business, and like that Brave Chick was founded. Brave Chick is an online store which creates beautiful handmade jewelry, meant to empower the women who wear them. Lejoi buys either stones or metals for her jewelry, so that each piece can be affordable for everyone. 

Lejoi became an art teacher because she wants everyone to be an artist and to be “visually literate”. It has always been in her plan to teach, because she wants everyone to be able to enjoy art. She believes art is important in every profession, from surgery to computer science. Before teaching and founding her jewelry company, she worked as the design director in a textile company, and holds a bachelor and masters in Fine arts from the Rhode Island School of Design. 

Lejoi’s advice for future artists is to believe in themselves, because if you believe in yourself and are passionate about what you do, you will be successful, especially in art. “People dream about being artists'', she says, and she doesn’t want people to lose confidence in themselves because of what other people think about them. A few additional pieces of information people of KLS don’t know about her is that she is a trekkie and that she thinks that she was an Indian in one of her past lives. We are so glad she has joined our community!