Loretta Lester: Championing kindness and inclusivity in schools

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – After 43 years, Loretta Lester is retiring. She has dedicated most of her life to showing kindness as a teacher at ARC Caddo Bossier’s Goldman School, Louisiana’s first inclusive child development center, which features integrated classrooms for children of all abilities.

“Children with special needs learn from typical children. Typical children learn from special needs,” Lester explained. “They learn how to socialize. They learn how to share. They learn how to build friendships.”

Loretta made many friends during her four decades at the school, including current Director of Children’s Services LaShanda Davis, whom Loretta mentored.

“Stuff I learned from her, just being compassionate toward people and children, too. Loretta is the type of person where you say I need something or this person hurting and stuff, she will be there for that person,” Davis said.

Now Loretta has finally retired, closing the chapter on her teaching career, making time for travel and relaxation, knowing she has impacted generations of children and families.

“I can’t even put words to it how it makes me feel, but I feel good in my soul and in my spirit,” Lester shared.

“Things looked a lot different for children with disabilities when Miss Loretta began working here all those years ago,” said Kristen Powers, Executive Director of ARC Caddo Bossier. “And she’s been a part of the new way of thinking, the societal change that is now much much more accepting of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, which is what the ARC Caddo Bossier is all about. We’ve led the way and done that, and Ms. Loretta has been at the helm.”

“I did it from the heart… from nothing else but the heart.”