City Springs, Class of 2013: Sherie Turnage

City Springs Elementary / Middle School, Class of 2013

Sherie Turnage, a proud graduate of City Springs Elementary/Middle School’s Class of 2013, is a shining example of what it means to be a BCP scholar, leader, and changemaker.

BCP School Experience

Sherie attended City Springs from Pre-K through 8th grade, serving as her class president and building strong relationships with teachers and staff who helped shape her future. Her experiences at City Springs inspired a lifelong commitment to helping others and sparked her passion for social work.

The Next Chapter: High School

Institute of Notre Dame, Class of 2017

Sherie attended the Institute of Notre Dame and graduated with the Class of 2017. During high school, she participated in community service activities and continued finding ways to support others in her neighborhood, particularly elderly residents and family members who needed assistance.

On to College

Coppin State University.  B.S., Social Work, 2022

University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Social Work, M.S.W., 2024

Sherie earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Coppin State University in 2022. While at Coppin, she was named to the Dean’s List, participated in the Maxie Collier Program, was selected for the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy (CRISP Leadership Program), and joined both the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Social Work Association.

She then continued her education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, where she earned her Master of Social Work in 2024. During graduate school, Sherie was selected as a BHWISE Lifespan Fellow and completed a field placement at the University of Maryland Taghi Modarressi Center, working with young children with disabilities.

Where They Are Now

Today, Sherie serves as an Office Manager and PRP Worker at Holistic Health Counseling and Coaching. She previously worked as a Substance Abuse Mental Health Therapist at Choices Integrated Health and has remained committed to supporting individuals and families through her work. Sherie’s long-term goal is to continue working with children and eventually become a therapist.

Q: What is your favorite City Springs memory?

CS Graduation

Whenever I felt the need to be heard, I went to Nichelle Beasley, who was a counselor there. She listened to me, and for many students, also provided clothes, food, sometimes even a place to stay. I loved that she did that and wanted to be able to do that for students. In 5th grade, I had a chance to do that for a friend who didn’t have food. I started emptying out our freezer [to give her food], and my mother asked what I was doing. [Sherie’s mom is City Springs’ paraeducator Sharone Henderson]. I told her why and that I wanted to help, and she helped me put together food.

Q: Did that experience inspire your career in social work? 

Yes! In high school, I participated in community service but also began doing things on my own. I help my great aunt and elderly neighbors by doing things around their house and preparing meals.

My current field placement [in graduate school] is with University of Maryland Taghi Modarressi Center, working with young children who have disabilities. I graduate next May and have two job offers already. I eventually want to be a therapist but will initially focus on children.

Q: How did City Springs prepare you?

Our teachers weren’t too soft or hard on us. They believed in us. They were diverse, too. For kids from the projects, typically, the first teacher of color you see is in high school, but I was so happy to have Black teachers at City Springs. Now I am so grateful for what I learned at City Springs. When I went to high school, other students couldn’t write a paragraph or a five-page paper. I could because of my teachers.

The purple at City Springs [the school color] is a little overwhelming. [Laughs.] When I first started, there were other colors, and by the time I left, purple was everywhere: on our shirts, the walls, the lockers. The motto of “Purple is not a color. It’s an attitude,” is true, though. The teachers are very vibrant and bring a spunk to the classroom. For me, that’s the attitude.