When Sydney McKinney started school at Second Creek Elementary School, the school had just opened its doors to students for the first time. She could tell the school would expose her to rich possibilities and opportunities.

Sydney recalls feeling very proud of having the chance to attend a brand new school.

However, this isn’t the only thing Sydney recalls from her time at Second Creek. All of her Second Creek teachers made a lasting impression on her as they demonstrated what it meant to be a mentor to others.

It’s this mentorship that Sydney experienced from a young age that led her to want to be a mentor as she grew older.

After graduating from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in family and human services, Sydney came back to the 27J community to work for the City of Brighton as a youth services coordinator. Sydney was eager to serve the young people in her community.

“Coming back to the community I grew up in to serve students traveling on the same path I did, was really rewarding.”

As a youth services coordinator, Sydney worked to revamp the city’s internship program, help run college and career readiness programs, college fairs, help students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which provides college tuition aid, and she helped guide the Brighton Youth Commission.

The Brighton Youth Commission is a body of 22 youth and 6 adults appointed by the City Council to study, investigate and implement projects on matters impacting city youth such as suidcide prevention.

During her time working as the youth services coordinator, Sydney’s work resulted in an expansion of the youth corps in areas like facilitating volunteer opportunities with the city.

By the time she was promoted to be the executive assistant to the city manager, she realized her work had tripled the size of the youth corps. It was gratifying to realize her impact. But she was ready to more closely examine how the City functioned on the inside.

“I’m passionate about serving the community where I grew up,” she said. “Being the administrative assistant to the city manager helped me learn how the different internal organizational systems worked and how they functioned beyond the organization itself. The connections and impact of the City was surprising and impressive.”

Later Sydney was hired by Guild Education as a learning and organizational development coordinator where she continues in that role today. The company’s mission is to unlock opportunities for America’s workforce through education and upskilling.

“Through my work in youth services for the City of Brighton, I discovered my passion for college and career readiness and this is what Guild Education stands for,” said Sydney. “I’m excited for the opportunity to learn and grow in this role.”

While her work has moved beyond her hometown and the City of Brighton, she maintains professional connections with the community. For example, she’s a board member for the Richard Lambert Foundation, a family grief and healing center in Brighton.

As a board member, Sydney donates her time to help secure program sponsors. She also upholds the foundation’s mission by supporting the founder with the organization’s operations and maintaining a positive, transformative vision.

Now as a Kappa Kappa Gamma alumnae, she serves as a chapter advisor for her sorority’s chapter at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Today she teaches sorority members how to have empathetic conversations with members who are struggling academically.

Compelled by her many mentor roles, Sydney decided to apply and was accepted into the masters program for social work at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins. That advanced degree will help her reach her ultimate goal of becoming a therapist for young children and teenagers.

Sydney credits Second Creek Elementary School, especially her teachers, for inspiring her to mentor younger generations and serve her community in impactful ways.

“I believe in 27J Schools because it is community-oriented and makes a big district feel small.”