Meet Chiemenam Azubogu and Davida Fisher at Great Hearts Harveston

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week and National Nurse Appreciation Week, Great Hearts Harveston is proud to highlight two outstanding members of their community, Chiemenam Azubogu, a third grade apprentice teacher, and Davida Fisher, the school nurse. Both exemplify the heart of our purpose to cultivate the minds and hearts of our students while caring deeply for their well-being.

Born in Mississippi and raised in New Orleans, Chiemenam Azubogu moved to Baton Rouge in 2015, bringing with her a rich professional background, including experience as a surgical technician, property manager, office administrator, and daycare teacher. Her passion for working with children was sparked early: “Working in a school setting has been a dream of mine since I was 10 years old,” she shared. “My mom and her sister are teachers, and I always loved helping them when I could.”

When she discovered Great Hearts Harveston, Azubogu felt especially drawn to the school’s mission of cultivating the hearts and minds of students. “As a gardener, I understand that just because you plant a seed doesn’t mean it will grow the way you expect it to. You have to work with the plant and remove obstacles.”

Now serving as a 3rd grade apprentice teacher, she finds joy in moving up with her students each year. “It’s like we graduated together,” she said. As an apprentice teacher, she provides one-on-one academic support, helps manage the classroom, and assists students in their daily growth, believing strongly that having multiple teachers creates a more positive and responsive learning environment.

Outside of the classroom, Azubogu’s nurturing spirit shines through her hobbies of gardening, making waist beads, and crafting candles, each a reflection of her patience and creativity.

Davida Fisher, Great Hearts Harveston’s school nurse, also knew from a young age that she was called to care for others. After graduating from Southern University School of Nursing in 2010 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Fisher began her career at Baton Rouge General Hospital, later working at a urology office with the Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group.

Her passion for school nursing led her to the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, where she worked both as a rotating school nurse and in a school-based health center before joining the staff at Great Hearts Harveston.

Fisher discovered the academy through a newspaper article she read announcing the new classical charter school and immediately resonated with the school’s mission. “It’s not just important to make straight A’s. What has the highest priority is who the student is becoming,” she said. She feels especially connected to Great Hearts’ pursuit of truth, believing that “knowing and understanding truth ushers in a freedom in your life that helps to produce a change.”

At Great Hearts, Nurse Fisher finds joy in the small but meaningful moments of care. “My favorite thing is putting a Band-Aid on a student, giving them a sticker, and seeing them stop crying, wipe their tears, and say it’s all better now.”

As we conclude this special week, we give thanks for the commitment, compassion, and excellence of Chiemenam Azubogu and Davida Fisher. Through their dedication, they help make Great Hearts Harveston a place where students are not only educated but truly cared for.

Do you have a story or know of one that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts? Please contact jmoore@greatheartsamerica.org.

Submit a student application to a Great Hearts Academy by visiting: https://www.greatheartsamerica.org/enroll/.