At North DeSoto Middle School, some of the most meaningful lessons aren’t necessarily found in the classroom. They happen in moments where compassion becomes visible—where hands push, hearts open, and service becomes something you can feel.
One of those moments began with dedicated North DeSoto Middle School science teacher, Mrs. Kristy Roblow, and a girl named Hope.
A Mission Born From Love and Legacy
Long before Hope and Mrs. Roblow met, another story had already laid the foundation for what would become a powerful partnership at NDMS.
In 2011, retired U.S. Marine Major Kim “Rooster” Rossiter and his wife Lori founded Ainsley's Angels of America in honor of their daughter, Ainsley.
Ainsley lived with Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy, a rare condition that eventually required her to use a wheelchair. But on a racecourse—pushed by her father—she felt free. Together they completed more than 100 races, each mile filled with joy, belonging, and possibility.
That joy sparked a national movement dedicated to “inclusion without limits,” giving people with disabilities the opportunity to experience the thrill of racing through specialized equipment and partnerships with volunteer “Angel Runners.”
Today, Ainsley’s Angels has nearly 70 chapters across the country, including right here in Northwest Louisiana.
A Teacher Says “Yes” — And Everything Changes
For Mrs. Roblow, the mission of Ainsley’s Angels first appeared as an invitation from a friend who encouraged her to join a race. “I struggled with running by myself,” she said. “I really didn’t think I could run and push someone in a chair for 3.1 miles.”
But each time she saw an Angel Rider's smile, she felt something shift. That shift became a calling when she met Hope Wood, a young girl whose life changed after a devastating auto accident left her with significant injuries.
Hope was the same age as Mrs. Roblow’s eighth-graders. She loved people. She loved to smile. But because of her circumstances, she now attended school from home. Mrs. Roblow immediately saw two needs—and one beautiful opportunity.
Running for Something Bigger
NDMS students share in the act of service by helping Mrs. Roblow push Hope’s chair on race day. “They are SO excited to do it,” “They want to help and push Hope. They feel better about themselves as a result.”
Cross Country coach Lauren Brooks describes the lessons learned as “far more valuable than they may even realize right now”—lessons in empathy, leadership, and service that shape who these students are becoming.
Coach Brooks says, “They run with purpose. They lead with grace. And they serve with joy.”
Hope at the Heart of It All
For Hope and her grandmother, Mrs. Connie Usher, the experience is more than a race—it’s belonging. It’s joy. It’s connection.
On the morning of her local race, Hope beams as NDMS students and Mrs. Roblow prepare her racing chair. She laughs with them at the starting line. She feels their energy, their commitment, their friendship.
Somewhere along the miles, something else happened too: “Hope and her grandparents have become part of my own family now,” Mrs. Roblow shared. “When I run now I have more of a purpose. I’m doing it for Hope.”
A School Living Its Core Values
NDMS Principal Lyndsey Rhoads says this partnership is a powerful reflection of the school’s culture.
“Mrs. Roblow’s work with Ainsley’s Angels is a direct reflection of our core value of service,” Rhoads said. “Her intentionality encourages our students to be the best versions of themselves.”
Her message to the community is simple—and profound:
“There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow men. Her willingness to model for our students how to be a great person is just as valuable as the work she does in the classroom.”
Through Ainsley’s Angels, NDMS students are living the school’s core values—Learn. Lead. Serve.
The DeSoto Difference in Action
In every push of the chair, every mile run together, every smile from Hope as she crosses the finish line, North DeSoto Middle School is showing what The DeSoto Difference truly means.
And for Kristy Roblow and her students, it’s more than a story—it’s a legacy they’re helping carry forward, one race at a time.