Throughout March and April the Black Women Who Serve Henry High Students were celebrated. Stories of many of these 30 staff members were put on the school website, on morning announcements, and posted. This is a story of one honoree…
Janitta Irwin is an Associate Educator Behavior Interventionist at Henry High. Her job involves making sure students and staff are comfortable, being protective, making sure students get to their classes, and tutoring them if need be. She sees her role as being a friend to the students and their families. What she says she likes best about being at Henry High is “the connection I have with the students. I am called Mom, Auntie, T.T., Grandma, Ms. Nitta, and whatever works.”
Ms. Nitta loves to sing as in her church, and she loves going fishing. Her nickname is “Miss Panfish Pretty” which is even printed on sweatshirts with her name. Another avocation outside of the workplace is as a resource person mentoring young women.
Janitta loves her North Minneapolis community, where she grew up and attended North High School. Educational pursuits after high school included completing an Associate of Arts Degree at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, and she has been working on a Bachelors of Arts degree at Metro State University.
The person who has impacted Ms. Irwin the most she says is, “My Mama!!” Her influence has reached Janitta in many ways. “She was a great everything to me,” Nitta says. “I got my loving skills from her. She fostered over 250 children in her lifetime.”
Note from the author of this story: Janitta’s mother, Ms. Doloris Irwin was a stalwart in the Northside community. We were saddened by her passing in 2021 as she had an impact on so many lives.
Harriet Tubman is a woman of history admired by Janitta because, as she says, “She never gave up.”
“Words of wisdom from Ms. Nitta to young people are, “Yes, you can and you will.”