Longtime educator, minister and mentor Clifford Wright, known fondly at Oakridge Neighborhood as “Mr. Wright,” has impacted generations of young people.

A Foundation Built on Family and Education

Born in 1955 in Waterloo, Iowa, Mr. Wright grew up in a large family of eight children. Education was a priority from a young age. “I always wanted to please the teacher,” he recalls. “School was a place where I felt seen and could excel.”

Despite his strong academic interest, Mr. Wright did not attend college immediately after high school. Instead, he entered the workforce and held several factory jobs. It wasn’t until the age of 35, after encouragement from a mentor, that he returned to school. That decision would ultimately lead him to a career in education and ministry.

“I was told that four years would pass whether I was in school or not. That stuck with me,” he says. Working days, nights and weekends to support his family, Mr. Wright enrolled in college and earned his degree while also managing a full-time job and serving in his church.

A Dual Calling: Education and Ministry

Mr. Wright began his formal teaching career in the Waterloo school system and later accepted a ministry opportunity in Ottumwa, Iowa, where he continued to teach and preach. Eventually, he moved to Des Moines and was hired at McKinley Elementary, where he taught for over 20 years. He became known for his structured classroom environment, high expectations, and deep care for his students, particularly young boys in need of a strong male role model.

His journey with Oakridge Neighborhood began in 2008, originally as a part-time position to supplement his income. But what started as a short-term job quickly became a long-term commitment. “I didn’t come to Oakridge expecting to stay,” he says. “But it became clear to me that this was where I was supposed to be.”

Impacting Lives at Oakridge

In his afterschool classroom for kindergarten and first grade students at Oakridge, Mr. Wright is known for structure and discipline, but also deep compassion. His approach is consistent, firm, and full of encouragement. “I tell the kids, ‘Smart kids do smart things,'”he says. “I hold them to a standard because I know they can reach it.”

Mr. Wright’s presence is particularly impactful for boys of color, many of whom have never had a male teacher or mentor. He takes this responsibility seriously, modeling respect, leadership and accountability. “I want to show them they don’t have to follow what the streets tell them they are,” he says. “There’s another way.”

Over the years, he has worked with hundreds of students, many of whom return to thank him or reflect on the values he instilled in them. While his tone may be firm, it is always grounded in care. “They know I love them. I just don’t let them forget the rules,” he says with a smile.

Service Beyond the Classroom

Outside of Oakridge Mr. Wright continues to serve as pastor of New Birth Church in Des Moines. Though the congregation has grown smaller over the years, his commitment to ministry remains strong. “Whether I’m preaching to seven people or 70, my calling is the same – reaching people where they are,” he says.

For Mr. Wright, teaching and ministry are deeply connected. Both allow him to mentor, guide, and support people in building lives of purpose and character. He is a passionate advocate for programs like “Character Counts” and believes strongly that character educatiion should remain a central part of learning.

A Lasting Legacy

Mr. Wright retired from public education in 2017 but has never stopped teaching. His work at Oakridge continues to shape the lives of students who need stability, leadership and hope.

“When you see kids coming from difficult circumstances, it’s even more important to be consistent,” he says. “They need to know someone sees them and believes in them.”

“I just want them to know they matter. That they are smart. That they’re enough,” he says.

Oakridge Neighborhood is a designated 21st Century Learning Center, providing much needed support through robust afterschool and out-of-school programming focused on academic growth and enrichment. To contribute to these important services, click here to donate. 

“There was a sense of family right away. Sister Margaret Toomey embraced us. It felt good to be there.

“My mom worked hard. We were at Oakridge six or seven years and were able to move out, but she didn’t want to leave the support and what felt like family. It was a great place to start, to bring your family and build it up.

Turner went to North High School, where he excelled in athletics. “I gained a lot of confidence growing up in Oakridge because I saw a lot of tough times but people believed in me.”

Now Turner is in the position to pass along confidence and belief in others, not only as a father who worked to teach his own children to be “respectful and honest” but also through his career with Des Moines Public Schools, where he’s served for over 20 years. “I really like communicating with kids and giving them guidance and positive advice,” he says.

He is undoubtedly making an impact on numerous students, in the same way Oakridge Neighborhood changed his life. “Oakridge impacted my life tremendously…the commitment people had to us meant the world to us. I will never forget.”

Hear more from James here.

Oakridge Neighborhood is home for nearly 1,000 residents, with over half of those being under 18 years old. To help make a difference, donate here or please contact Kristin Littlejohn, [email protected] or 515 | 244-7701. 

“I look at ways I can help,” he says. “I feel good when I come in and can help touch lives of the kids and adults by providing maintenance, answering questions, talking with them.”

Like so many of those that work at Oakridge Neighborhood, Mike’s position has become more than just employment. It’s a way of life and a service to others that has become part of the fabric of Mike’s life.

A Long-Term Relationship

His relationship with Oakridge started even before Mike was old enough to have a job.

“I had family members who lived there,” Mike remembers. “It was a nice place to go, to hang out at the basketball courts. It still is.”

Mike began working at Oakridge 40 years ago, starting as a groundskeeper. Today Mike is responsible for maintaining the quality living conditions of Oakridge’s 300 Section 8 housing units, plus 30 senior living apartments at Silver Oaks.

“When I first started Oakridge was a little rough around the edges,” he says, remembering a period in the 1980s when Oakridge struggled with gang and drug activity. “The property was a work in progress, maintained but not where it should have been.

“Margaret Toomey, who was a nun, was the head of it,” Mike says. “Her interest was children and their living conditions and what to do to keep the property up. She had a vision still relevant today.”

That vision included beginning to introduce some of the many wrap-around services that today distinguish Oakridge from similar housing neighborhoods across the United States. That has expanded into a robust portfolio of human service programming, including adult workforce readiness/development, family case management, financial literacy, ELL and citizenship classes, early child hood and preschool, student enrichment for children grades K-8, plus summer employment programming for 14 to 21-year-olds.

“We’ve advanced in what we have to offer,” Mike says. “We’re more than just housing, so kids can envision more for their future than they used to.”

Giving Thanks

As a result, Mike says many Oakridge residents are parents who go to work or school, thanks in part to the on-site childcare provided right on the Oakridge campus.

When they advance and make progress in life they always come back and say thank you to people that helped them,” Mike says. “Oakridge gives them a sense of hope; we give them the opportunity to know they can move on that will help them through their journey in life.

” A lot of young men and ladies looked up to the maintenance crew as father figures,” Mike says. “Many come back and thank the crew. A lot of them did really good. They got degrees and became providers for families.

“Lives change because Oakridge offers so many programs, ownership, pride,” he says. “We’re a safe, clean, loving neighborhood. Come and see us, check out our programs, talk with our residents and staff. This is a really nice place.”

Hear more from Mike here.

Employees like Mike help make Oakridge Neighborhood home for 1,000 residents, with over half of those being under 18 years old. To help make a difference, donate here or please contact Kristin Littlejohn, [email protected] or 515 | 244-7701.