Name
Tessa Lee
Company/Organization
Lakeshore Public Schools
What Does Your Company/Organization Do?
4th Grade Teacher
Age
38
Accomplishments
Personal Accomplishments:
• Wife to the man of my dreams and mother of 3 wonderful children
Athletic Accomplishments:
• 1998-2002 Lettered in 5 sports at Lakeshore High School (Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Track and Field, and Softball)
• 2003-2007 Division 1 Collegiate Athlete and MVP at Indiana State University on full scholarship
• 2009-2015 Competed on the Florida Beach Volleyball Circuit
Education/Business Accomplishments:
• 2003 Bachelor of Science Degree from Indiana State University and ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) Endorsement
• 2009 Opened Sea Breeze Volleyball Camps
• 2012 Earned Outstanding Educator Award to represent my Elementary School in the Community at Sea Breeze Elementary
• 2010-2015 Opened Mrs. Lee’s Sports Club (Sea Breeze Elementary in Florida)
Community:
• 2008-2009 St. Joseph High School Varsity Volleyball Head Coach
• 2016- Current Owner/Operator of Silver Beach Volleyball Camp
• 2016 Lakeshore High School Varsity & Freshman Head Coach
• 2021 Head Coach of Lakeshore Flag Football Crimson Team
• 2021-2022 Owner/Operator of Mrs. Lee’s Sports Club (Stewart Elementary)
• 2022-Current Owner/Operator of Mrs. Lee’s Kids Club (Stewart Elementary)
What else do you hope to accomplish by the age of 40?
I would love to create an after-school club that would involve kids all over the community to take part in new experiences. Here they could learn and grow while making friends in a fun and safe environment.
Education
- Lakeshore High School Grad
- Indiana State University Grad
Residence
Stevensville, MI
Where were you born?
St. Joseph, MI
What was your first job?
Babysitting and scooping ice cream for Cabanas.
Best advice you ever got?
The secret to happiness is being thankful for what you already have.
Who inspires you most?
My mom and dad are both amazing parents and were successful entrepreneurs. My mom opened a gym called The Sweatshop in Stevensville while balancing home life with two little kids and my dad ran a few successful businesses including Wolf’s/Hardings Grocery store and Wolf’s Property Maintenance. My mom has always pushed me to be the best I can be and my dad has always found things to be proud of in me even when it was hard to see it myself. My husband inspires me with his dedication to our family and encourages me to always go after my dreams.
That one thing about you we’d be most surprised to learn.
I was painfully shy as a child.
What do you love to do in your downtime?
In my downtime I enjoy playing beach volleyball, going for nature walks with my family, going out for date nights with my husband, and spending time on our boat or in the marina pool.
What book are you reading now?
Mindset by Carol Dweck
Volunteer activity you love the most.
Coaching the youth in our community.
What motivates you to give back to your community?
This is the community I grew up in. I am forever grateful for the teachers and coaches I had growing up, who instilled love and work ethic in me. I hope that by teaching and coaching our youth, I am able to give each child a solid foundation to build off of. My three children are also a huge reason why I am so dedicated to our community, and making sure they have all of the opportunities to become exactly who God created them to be.
What Superpower would you most love to have? (for example, the ability to fly or to be invisible, or incredible strength, etc)
Teleportation. I never feel like there are enough hours in the day for a working mom!
What would you like to leave behind as your legacy once you are gone?
I would like each person I had an impact on to feel loved, appreciated, and lifted up by being around me. I try to find the good in each day and have a positive mindset in all that I do.
What does the honor of being named to the 40 Under 40 most mean to you?
I am honored to be a part of this group of men and women being recognized this year. I hope that I can continue to serve our community and spread joy to our youth for the rest of my days. Teaching is a job where I wake up excited to come to work and spend my day impacting kiddos. I am so fortunate to work for a district that has had a huge impact on who I am as a person and to live in a community that cares so much about each of its members.
