Jewell Kelly broke barriers as one of the few Black students at the newly integrated North Texas State, attending simply to pursue an education—not to make history. Despite facing prejudice, she focused on earning her degree and later became a powerful force in Fort Worth ISD, where her decades-long teaching career influenced generations of students.

A proud alumna of I.M. Terrell High School, Mrs. Kelly grew up in a segregated but close-knit Fort Worth community where she felt deeply loved and supported. Her passion for music began in the pews of St. James Church, where the sound of a choir moved her to become a music teacher.

Throughout her career, Mrs. Kelly led some of the largest church choirs in the metroplex and launched Gospel Fest, a cherished Fort Worth ISD tradition celebrating gospel music. She taught students who became Grammy winners, fellow educators, and lifelong music lovers.

To this day, Jewell Kelly’s legacy is reflected in the voices she helped nurture and the lives she helped shape—proof that students were listening all along.