Kansas City's Hidden Figures: Industry Leaders Shaping the Future Through Literacy
Informational texts that connect reading with career exploration.
Who are the Hidden Figures of Kansas City, Missouri? These individuals embody resilience, unlocking opportunities behind the scenes of their professional industries while creating pathways for the next generation. Our Hidden Figures are industry professionals—ranging from retirees to those with over 20 years of experience—who have contributed invaluable knowledge to the pipeline of career readiness.
At Entitled Learning, we focus on elementary character development, identity formation, and resilience in thinking. We believe that a platform driven by instructional data and real-world industry trends can foster collaboration between educators and professionals, preparing the next wave of thinkers to navigate future challenges successfully.
The Urgency of Literacy in Career Readiness
According to an NPR Kansas City report, only 27% of fourth-grade students and 26% of eighth-grade students in Missouri scored proficient or above in reading—a decline from over 33% in 2019 (Armhad & Fortino). Jeremy Ellis, Missouri’s NAEP State Coordinator, emphasized that foundational literacy skills take time to recover, especially given the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
At Entitled Learning, our curriculum is built around informational texts that connect reading with career exploration. Scholars engage with essential reading strategies—compare and contrast, identifying main ideas and details, and understanding cause and effect—which are not only critical for academic success but also vital in professional industries.
This mission aligns with the P.I.L.L.A.R. Movement (Professionals Inspiring Literacy, Leadership, and Reading)—an initiative dedicated to highlighting industry professionals who advocate for literacy as a tool for empowerment, career success, and leadership development.
KC Hidden Figures Spotlight: Robert Thompson
One such Hidden Figure is Robert Thompson, a retired military leader with 32 years of service in the National Guard and over 40 years as a city employee. He understands firsthand that literacy is not just about reading—it’s about comprehension, decision-making, and career advancement.
Prof. Thompson: What reading strategies did you have to use to solve a project?
Robert Thompson: In the military, you receive assignments in writing. There is no he said, she said—your orders tell you what to do, what you need, and when to be there. The mission is critical, so you must follow the orders precisely. If you’re in leadership, you have to articulate those orders to your troops, which means breaking them down and ensuring comprehension. I often had to identify the main idea and details to effectively communicate the mission.
Prof. Thompson: Can you share an example of a time when strong reading comprehension helped you make an important decision or solve a problem in your field?
Robert Thompson: A sling load operation mission is always written out with many details and safety precautions. To carry out the mission successfully, I had to take notes and refine the directions for the troops. Sometimes, you need to go back and reread to ensure you don’t miss anything. Back then, we didn’t have Google—we used maps, and knowing how to read them was essential. For example, when hooking up a sling to a helicopter carrying a 500-gallon fuel bladder, every step had to be followed exactly to ensure safe delivery to the infantry. In the military, all communication is written—orders, procedures, and reports. You can’t go anywhere without written orders.
Prof. Thompson: Why do you believe it is important for young professionals to develop strong reading skills as they prepare for future careers?
Robert Thompson: Strong reading skills are crucial because they eliminate confusion. Once something is put in writing, no one can argue about what was said—it’s right there. You can always refer back to written records for verification. This applies in any profession. For example, Mr. Stevens wrote a check for $1,000 and wrote out the exact amount at the bottom. The recipient tried to change the number to $4,000, but the bank was able to verify the true amount because they read the written words. If you don’t have strong reading skills, people can take advantage of you financially or misinterpret your work.
Prof. Thompson: In what ways do you see a connection between strong reading skills and leadership or decision-making in your field?
Robert Thompson: When I worked for the city, accreditations were essential for training others. How can you train people if you can’t read the materials yourself? My job was to create leaders, and if I didn’t know what I was doing, my trainees wouldn’t respect my leadership. For example, in snow removal, the city sends instructions in writing. It was my responsibility to take that information back to my team and ensure they understood the routes. Leaders must be able to read and interpret instructions to guide their teams effectively.
Prof. Thompson: What problems have you seen in your workforce when reading comprehension was not utilized?
Robert Thompson: I’ve seen injuries, equipment damage, and even fatalities when employees failed to read instructions. One case involved an equipment operator who didn’t follow safety requirements. He was using a power washer but failed to read the shutdown instructions, which required turning the machine to cold water before shutting it down. Because he skipped this step, the machine was damaged. As a result, he received a letter of reprimand, which became part of his personnel file at City Hall. If he applied for another city job, that letter could prevent him from getting a new opportunity.
As a supervisor, it was my responsibility to document incidents like this correctly. I had to read over every report to make sure the information was accurate before it went into an employee’s file. Reading and writing are critical for accountability in any profession.
Source
Armhad, M., & Fortino, S. (2025, January 31). Missouri students' reading scores decline, but math scores hold signs of hope. NPR Kansas City. https://www.npr.org/kansas-city/
