Staff: James Mckennie

James Mckennie joined the Friends of Children team in April 2023 with a wealth of experience and an undeniable passion for education. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, James began his journey in the field of education as a Summer Camp Counselor in high school and went on to study Economics at Howard University. He has since worked as a Pre-K paraprofessional in Georgia and then relocated to the Bay Area where he worked as an Afterschool Lead at City Year San Jose, and Site Coordinator at Reading Partners at Bret Heart Elementary in San Francisco, where he implemented and coached community volunteers 1:1 in literacy tutoring. Most recently, James taught English in Madrid, Spain at two schools, working with students from pre-K to sixth grade.

James is dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of young people, and has found immense joy in mentoring students, providing resources for families, and collaborating with school staff to meet the needs of the students. In his free time, James enjoys playing video games, cooking, and building furniture. His favorite music artist is Daft Punk, and he is an avid fan of Atlanta sports teams.

“Hold fast to your dreams, for without them life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”

– Langston Hughes