Power to Make Change
April Gibson is the Moms for Liberty Bay County, FL chapter chair, a dedicated mom, mentor and advocate who believes deeply in three things: 1. You have the power to make change. 2. You are stronger than you think. 3. Parents and community members must get informed about what’s happening in our schools.
April’s story is one of discovery, determination, and a refusal to look the other way. After enrolling her son in the top-ranked charter school in her county, she quickly realized that the results were far from what she’d been promised—her son had fallen a full year behind. With intensive tutoring and hands-on support, she helped him catch up in just eight weeks, uncovering critical lessons along the way: grades can be misleading, testing reveals real learning, and many students are quietly slipping through the cracks.
April serves as a mentor and has seen firsthand how many children have no one advocating for them—and how even one hour a week of genuine support can change a child’s trajectory. In this episode, April discusses doubts she faced stepping into leadership, her fear of failing her chapter, and how that chapter ultimately grew stronger than she ever imagined. She also shares surprising moments of collaboration—like long, productive conversations with her local teachers union representative—and her hope to build more goodwill and support for teachers who are fighting their own battles.
At the heart of her advocacy is a simple truth: “My why is the kids.” April’s children have been in public school, charter school, and now private school due to declining academic quality. She’s fighting not only for her family, but for the countless students who don’t have anyone standing up for them.
If she could go back and encourage herself at the beginning of this journey, her message would be clear: “You are stronger, smarter, and wiser than you know. You can do the hard things—and they will not break you. Keep fighting.”