Leetonia fifth-grade teacher Lauran Woolley poses next to a Christmas tree and a portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt in the Vermeil Room during an invitation-only holiday luncheon at the White House. (Submitted photo)

LEETONIA — So far, 2024 has been a good year for Lauran Woolley.

Not only did she and her husband Jordan sweep every category at a local Shark Tank event sponsored by the Youngstown Business Incubator, they recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend a invitation-only holiday luncheon at the White House.

Woolley, of Austintown, is employed as a fifth-grade teacher at Leetonia schools and is an education content creator, and it was in that capacity that she was invited.

“This summer, I was invited to Washington to interview Dr. Jill Biden (about) the state of education and what we, as education content creators, can do to support our career and encourage more individuals to pursue a career in education,” she explained. “I was invited to the arts and media party, where they recognized content creators and other individuals for the work that we do providing information to our communities and using our platforms for good.”

Woolley is the chief executive officer of Little Tusk, which is an education software company that helps to provide financial literacy through a gamified platform for ages preschool through eighth-grade.

She told news partner WKBN in November after winning $50,000 in the Shark Tank effort: “What is money, how we use it, ways you can save it. In the older grade levels, learning about tax, income tax, student loans, how to take out a home loan and different things like that.”

Other content creators and individuals were in attendance as well as some astronauts, actors and Harvard executive coordinators.

She was particularly excited about the astronauts, as her students currently are learning about the solar system.

Woolley explained that she and Jordan met astronauts Kellie Gerardi and Emily Calandrelli.

“Emily is going to send our students a copy of her picture book, which includes a sticker she took with her on a mission to outer space. It will come with a certificate of flight as well,” she explained, adding that it will be cool to share with them something that was in outer space. “Sharing this experience with them also helps them to realize that no matter where you are from, the big city of small-town Ohio, you can accomplish things if you have confidence in yourself and work hard towards your goals.

Woolley said that she felt truly honored to be included in this event.

“It was beyond anything (that) I have ever experienced in my life. Getting to see the White House decked out for the holidays is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said. “The decorations were incredibly thought out and beautifully executed. They even included a tree made of six large golden stars to represent the six branches of the military.”

President Joe Biden was guest speaker for the event.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com