BES Fellowship Testimonial 2025 BES Fellow Dr. Terri Guy (Little Rock, AR)

For nearly 25 years, BES Fellows have been designing, founding, and leading K-12 public schools that reflect and respond to community needs. In a span of four or five years, BES provides them with training and post-authorization support to ensure their schools start strong and sustain excellence over time. 

In addition to BES partnering with local and national partners who give additional support, our coaches help to guide Fellows in school design, governance, finance, operations, and more. 

Dr. Terri Guy is a 2025 BES Fellow in the Build Track. She is the Proposed Founder of The Grove Academy in Little Rock, AR. Take a look below at what she had to say about her journey so far in the BES Fellowship. 

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Joining the BES Fellowship

“My desire to start a school began in 2008. Even then, I carried a clear vision and a deep sense of responsibility to serve students and families in a more impactful way. At the time, however, I was a classroom teacher with passion but without the training, systems, or structural understanding required to bring a charter school from idea to reality.

In 2011, I applied to BES after learning that a new charter school in Little Rock was being launched by a leader who had gone through the program. That application was not successful. Arkansas was not yet a focus area, and more importantly, I was not yet able to articulate the “how” behind my vision. While disappointing, that moment was formative. It clarified what I still needed to learn and affirmed that school founding required not only belief, but deep preparation.

What never faded was the calling.

Over the next fourteen years, I intentionally built my leadership capacity—serving in school leadership roles, deepening my instructional expertise, and gaining hands-on experience within charter school environments. Those experiences transformed my original vision into something more disciplined, strategic, and grounded in systems that drive student outcomes.

In 2025, when BES opened the opportunity again—this time including Arkansas—I recognized immediately that the moment had come full circle. This time, I brought not only a vision, but the experience, clarity, and readiness to partner with BES in a meaningful way. BES represented what it always had to me: a rigorous thought partner that honors both purpose and precision.

My motivation to join BES was rooted in alignment—alignment between my long-held commitment to students and communities in Greater Little Rock, and BES’s ability to provide the structure, coaching, and accountability required to turn vision into a sustainable, high-quality school.”

Support from BES

“BES provides comprehensive, intentional support that addresses both the technical and human sides of school founding. Throughout my experience, I was supported by a dedicated School Design Coach, Governance Coach, and School Finance Coach—each bringing deep expertise and a clear commitment to my growth as a founder. Their guidance helped me move from vision to execution, ensuring that decisions around academics, governance, and sustainability were aligned and coherent.

Beyond individual coaching, the coursework embedded within the Community of Practice is both  rigorous and practical. It creates a space to think critically, test ideas, and refine plans alongside peers who were navigating similar challenges. Being part of a national cohort of fellows working toward the same goal—building high quality schools in their own communities—was both grounding and energizing. That shared purpose created a strong sense of accountability and mutual support.

BES also created powerful learning opportunities through residencies at high-performing schools and regional school visits. These experiences allowed me to see strong models in action, ask hard questions, and learn directly from school founders who have already walked the journey. Learning not only from their successes, but also from their missteps, added a level of honesty and practicality that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.

Throughout the process, BES staff consistently showed up as true partners—present, prepared, and deeply invested. They balance high expectations with encouragement, pushing my thinking while honoring the complexity of the work. The result was support that felt both personalized and purposeful, equipping me with the tools, confidence, and clarity needed to move forward as a school founder.”

Proudest Moments

“At this stage of my journey, my proudest growth has been the shift into a true CEO mindset. I have learned to move beyond leading solely from passion or proximity to instruction and into making strategic, often difficult decisions that are necessary for long-term sustainability and impact.

What has been most meaningful is my ability to anchor those decisions in a clear and deeply held “why.” Even when choices are complex or uncomfortable, I am able to articulate the purpose behind them, align them to student outcomes, and communicate them with clarity and conviction. This growth has strengthened my confidence as a leader and sharpened my ability to hold both vision and accountability at the same time.

Developing this mindset has helped me see the school not just as a place of learning, but as an organization that must be thoughtfully designed, responsibly governed, and financially sound in order to truly serve students and communities well. That evolution—from instructional leader to systems-minded founder—has been one of the most affirming milestones of my leadership journey so far.”

Empowering the Next Cohort of School Founders

“My advice is to come to BES ready to be honest-with yourself and with the work. BES is not about quick wins or surface-level inspiration. It is a space that will challenge your thinking, stretch your capacity, and ask you to lead with clarity, discipline, and humility.

If you are someone who carries a vision but knows you need structure, coaching, and accountability to bring it to life, BES is the right organization. The experience will push you to strengthen not only your technical skills, but also your mindset-how you make decisions, how you respond to complexity, and how you lead through uncertainty.

Trust the process and lean into the community. Some of the greatest value comes from learning alongside other leaders who are asking hard questions and doing the work in real time. Be open to feedback, even when it’s uncomfortable, and remember that growth often shows up before confidence does.

Most importantly, take the chance when the opportunity presents itself. If the calling to lead is still present and you’re willing to do the work required to honor it, BES provides the support.”

Gratitude

“One moment from my BES experience that has stayed with me happened during my very first coaching session with my Governance Coach. She observed my naturally reserved and cautious approach and offered a simple but profound challenge: “You have to walk in this like you have the audacity to be here.”

That statement immediately anchored me. It reframed how I saw myself—not as someone asking for permission to lead, but as someone who belonged in the work of founding a school. That encouragement helped quiet doubt and strengthened my resolve to step fully into the responsibility and confidence required of this role.

In many ways, that moment captured why I chose BES in the first place. BES does more than provide tools and frameworks; it helps leaders claim their purpose and stand firmly in it. I am deeply grateful for the coaching, the candor, and the belief that BES staff consistently extend—belief not only in the vision, but in the leader carrying it forward.”

Learn more about the BES Fellowship at bes.org/fellowship.