From Ancient Egypt to Fairfax County: How One Alum is Giving Back to Her Community
- alexis10428
- Mar 12
- 3 min read
Fairfax County Public Schools Alumn Katie Knight was born and raised in Fairfax County. She grew up attending schools rich in diversity and has great memories of her time here. However, she never thought she’d end up here for good.
“I thought I was going to go anywhere but Northern Virginia,” she said.
After high school, she attended Johns Hopkins University where she earned a bachelors in anthropology, followed by a masters in Egyptology and set out on a worldwide adventure of traveling and archeology digs in Egypt.
But she eventually found herself back in Fairfax County raising her two children with her spouse, an FCPS teacher.
“I did a lot of world traveling but you know something about Fairfax is always home and it might be because I’m a very type A, high strung personality and no place else felt right. But I came back to this area and its where we are going to be forever,” she said.
Today, the Egyptologist has found a unique way to use her background – not in ancient civilizations, but in building community connections that help strengthen local schools as the Community Engagement Officer for Apple Federal Credit Union and as the Vice-Chair of the Educate Fairfax Board of Directors.
The Impact of a Fairfax County Public Schools Education
“I feel very fortunate to have attended FCPS for my education for lots of reasons, one, my mother was a teacher and was present in our elementary school as we were growing up,” she said.
Katie said attending school with children of all abilities and from all over the world helped shape the person she is today.
“We were exposed to, not just culturally because this area is so diverse, but from an ability standpoint our classroom had all different kinds of kids and I think that was a really formative experience for me,” she said.
That experience continued through middle and high school. Katie recalled during the mid 1990’s while at Falls Church High School that there were more than 80 languages spoken in the homes of her classmates.
She said attending school in FCPS helped her see that anything was possible.
“I was growing up with kids who were first generation and what they were doing for the first time in their families pushed my understanding of what horizons were available to me just through persevering and utilizing your support network,” she said.
For Katie, the strength of the FCPS community wasn’t just about academics—it was deeply personal. When she was just 12 years old, her mother, passed away.
What happened next left an indelible mark on her life.
"My dad suddenly became a single parent to three kids, and FCPS showed up in a way we never expected. Teachers brought meals to our house for months while my dad learned how to cook. They opened their offices to me when I needed space to grieve. One even gave me my first journal, which I wrote in for years after. That kind of support—you can’t put a price on it."
Why Giving Back Matters
Katie’s experience with FCPS didn’t just shape her—it inspired her to give back.
Her role at Apple Federal Credit Union, a longtime supporter of FCPS educators and students, aligns perfectly with her work on the Educate Fairfax board.
Through Apple, she helps facilitate financial literacy programs, scholarships, and school supply drives for Title I schools, ensuring that FCPS students have the resources they need to succeed.
She’s also found creative ways to contribute personally.
"My son is in third grade, and with my Egyptology background, I’ll go into his classroom and talk about excavations. It’s 15 minutes of my time, but it means so much to the kids and the teacher. There are so many ways alumni can give back that might feel small but have a big impact."
Join the FCPS Alumni Network
Katie believes staying connected to FCPS doesn’t end at graduation. That’s why she encourages alumni to join the new FCPS Alumni Network, an initiative of Educate Fairfax.
"It’s an easy way to stay connected to something that played such a big role in your life. I wasn’t even thinking about engaging this way until I was invited to join the board, and now I’m so grateful for the opportunity. There’s something really powerful about being part of a community that helped shape you."
Whether it’s mentoring students, supporting a classroom, or making a financial contribution, there are countless ways alumni can make a difference.
If Fairfax County Public Schools played a role in your story, consider paying it forward.
Join the FCPS Alumni Network today and support your schools with a donation to Educate Fairfax.