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Kiki Porrey (’20), Texas Christian University Graduate and Dawson Teacher Candidate

From kindergarten through senior year, Dawson was a second home for Kiki Porrey. Kiki embraced Dawson’s personalized approach to learning, and now she’s come full circle, returning to Dawson as a teacher candidate while working toward her master’s in Learning, Development, and Family Sciences.

“Everything at Dawson was about becoming a better person and being prepared for the future.”


Where Growth Took Root

Volleyball played a central role in Kiki’s journey. Competing on Dawson’s teams taught her patience, teamwork, and the joy of helping others grow. As she explains, “Playing on a team sport helped me shape who I am and how I work with other people. It taught me so much about friendship and what being a strong friend really looks like.” Today, she carries that lesson forward as both the Middle School Gray Team assistant coach and the Upper School C Team head coach.
Equally impactful were Dawson’s Winterim experiences. While many of her classmates traveled far, Kiki often stayed local due to volleyball commitments and found unexpected value in those choices. “Winterim wasn’t just about travel,” she reflects. “It was about getting to know people you wouldn’t normally, and experiencing incredible moments with a unique group of people”.

Personalized Learning

For Kiki, Dawson was a place where perseverance and relationships were just as important as academics. “Academics didn’t come easily to me; I had to have self-discipline and push myself,” she says. With the steady support of her teachers, she learned to work through challenges and build resilience. Dawson’s smaller community also emphasized connection, teaching her the value of surrounding herself with people who build you up. Having spent her entire K–12 journey at Dawson, Kiki treasures the lifelong friendships and bonds she formed with classmates who grew up alongside her.

Built on Confidence

Dawson’s academic rigor prepared Kiki well for the transition to college and beyond. Homework, reading, and projects in Upper School gave her the organizational skills and time management tools she needed to succeed in college. Courses like AP U.S. History with Mr. Marshall and AP Chemistry with Kris Deardorff pushed her out of her comfort zone and showed her the reward of embracing difficult challenges with determination. By the time she entered college, Kiki found the workload manageable compared to many of her peers. “Because of Dawson’s focus on social-emotional learning, I was also more advanced at recognizing my feelings and managing them, which made me stronger as a student and a person,” she reflects.

Limitless Impact

Looking back, Kiki describes Dawson as a place where her differences were celebrated, her passions were sparked, and her future was shaped. A jewelry-making elective, for instance, ignited a lifelong love for art and creativity, something she never expected. “Because Dawson has so many incredible opportunities, you were able to explore hobbies or passions you never would have before. That class gave me a new love for art, and I’m so thankful for it”.
Today, as she works with Dawson’s youngest learners, Kiki reflects on the enduring impact of her Dawson education: perseverance, empathy, and the belief that every student should feel seen and supported. “Dawson prioritizes creating good people. I was cared for, seen, and taught that I can make a difference”.
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