Tarji Russell-Chaffin, a biomedical science teacher at Dumas High School, says she avoided “going the education route” for as long as she could. Although teaching was a family tradition, she initially set her sights on a career in health care during her college years.
“My mom was a pre-K director, and my dad was a high school math teacher and administrator,” she said. “Three of my siblings also chose careers in education. Looking back, when I chose to study respiratory therapy at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), I was just running from my destiny. Education has always been in my blood.”
Thirty years and five degrees later, Russell-Chaffin admits she has embraced her calling as an educator. One of her recent honors is testament to her talent in the field.
In July, Russell-Chaffin was recognized by the Arkansas Department of Education as one of 15 finalists for Teacher of the Year. During a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock, she and the other finalists were presented with a certificate and a $1,000 prize by the Walton Family Foundation.
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A Lake Village native, Russell-Chaffin said the biomedical sciences courses she teaches at Dumas High School may sound unconventional to those familiar only with the traditional model. Following the curriculum developed by Project Lead the Way, she helps her students explore the roles of biomedical professionals through hands-on activities.
“During the first course, students have to solve a medical mystery — they must determine the cause of death of Anna Garcia,” Russell-Chaffin said.
Who is Anna Garcia? “Anna” is a fictional character used to study various medical conditions and diseases. A mock crime scene is set up using a manikin to represent Anna’s body. The course begins with students investigating forensic evidence — blood spatter patterns, DNA samples and autopsy reports — to determine the cause of death.
“In the human body systems course, students build organs and body systems onto miniature mannequins. In addition, software is used to explore how organs and tissues work together,” she said. “During the final course — medical interventions — they are responsible for the well-being of the fictitious ‘Smith family,’ and learn to prevent, diagnose and treat disease.”
Russell-Chaffin said the key to making an impact on her students is using the curriculum with fidelity, as well as her desire to see her students get excited and engaged.
“This class is an elective, so students only enroll if they are interested in and curious about the field,” she said. “They come in ready and willing to learn. Often, the first question I hear during a given day is, ‘What are we going to learn about today, Ms. Russell?'”
Russell-Chaffin said she greatly appreciates the positive feedback she receives from former students who have since pursued careers in pharmacy or nursing or have gone on to medical school.
“Graduates of Dumas High School who are now earning their bachelor’s degree will text me and say that they were the only ones in their college class who knew how to perform certain procedures,” she said. “Several have said they were already equipped with medical terminology that others in the class were learning for the first time. Feedback like this means a great deal to me — it’s why I do what I do.”
In addition to her classroom achievements, Russell-Chaffin has guided students to success in SkillsUSA. This national organization hosts competitions showcasing the most highly skilled students in career and technical education. Since 2005, she has coached three state champions in the medical and leadership competitions, with two going on to represent Arkansas at the national level.
“I was very proud of those students who worked so hard to make it to the national competition,” she said. “It was fabulous to see them showcase their skills and professionalism on such a prestigious stage.”
Russell-Chaffin’s responsibilities at Dumas High School extend beyond her role as a biomedical sciences teacher. She also serves as the career and technical education (CTE) coordinator, dance coach and Project Lead the Way administrator.
“As the CTE coordinator, my goal is to ensure our students know the career opportunities that are available to them in the future,” she said. “The students explore a variety of different career paths — and it’s not just surface-level. We get into the specifics.”
Not only do students learn general information about different job roles, but they also learn about the education required to obtain those jobs, the necessary skills, job duties and salary ranges.
“Finally, students do self-reflective journal entries about each of the different careers they learned about,” Russell-Chaffin said. “They explore the reasons why they do or do not find a certain profession appealing. The idea is to give them a vision that will set them up for success through college and into the future.”
As she seeks ways to make an even greater impact on her students, Russell-Chaffin is considering the possibilities of district-level administration.
“My dream is to make the playing field equitable for all students and create policies that ensure all students are included,” she said.
Working towards this goal, Russell-Chaffin is currently earning a doctoral degree in leadership studies with an emphasis in change leadership for equity and inclusion at UCA. In addition to her associate and bachelor’s degrees in respiratory therapy, she also has a bachelor’s degree in health education, a master’s degree in secondary school leadership and a specialist degree in district-level administration.
“My mother would often joke that I wanted to be a professional student,” she said. “What I have come to realize is that I am a life-long learner. There are so many new areas and possibilities out there, and that inspires me to continue with my education while helping others grow at the same time.”
Russell-Chaffin’s teaching journey began in 1999 when she was living in Conway and working as a middle school science teacher in Lonoke. A fluke accident would soon lead to her relocating across the state, as well as influencing her career and overall life trajectory.
“I met my late husband on the side of the road,” she said. “While on a trip back home to Lake Village with my son, we had a flat tire. That kind man came to our rescue — he backed up and fixed the flat. That’s how I ended up moving to Dumas. The rest is history. I have been shaping young minds at Dumas School District ever since.”
Tarji Russell-Chaffin is currently married to Brian Chaffin. She has two children, DA and DJ, and one grandson, Emilio. Through her blended family, Russell-Chaffin has nine “bonus” children and 19 “bonus” grandchildren.
This story has been corrected to reflect the proper spelling of the word manikin.
