What do you teach and why did you become a teacher?

I teach seventh-grade English Language Arts. During my senior year at Piedmont High School, I was asked to be a Student TA in the TTA class. It was through working with them that I discovered my passion for not only teaching, but being a voice for students who can not always speak up for themselves.

How do you show your school spirit?

I show my school spirit by always participating in any and all spirit days (sometimes a little excessively). I try to always show up and support my students at any extracurricular events and be a loud voice that they can always hear cheering them on. I also try to demonstrate and teach my students that they are always a reflection of East Union. We always want to put our best foot forward to show the community what it means to be an Eagle.

What or who inspires you?

This is a two-part answer. My first answer is my faith in God. That is what always inspires me. I truly believe he will always put me where I am needed and where I can have the most impact.

My second answer is my students. They go through so much that I never had to experience, especially at such a young age, yet they still come to school every day where they laugh, talk, and focus on their futures.

In which other teacher’s class would you like to enroll for a day? Why?

I would love to be in Mr. Yelverton’s math class. He was at East Union last year and is now at Porter Ridge. As someone who has always struggled with math concepts, he was always able to explain them in a way that made sense to me. I truly think his class would be one that would make math make sense to my ELA brain.

What is one of your hidden talents?

One of my hidden talents is my affinity for rescue. It started as a passion for working with animals, which I definitely still have, and has slowly transformed into “rescuing” students who need me. Sometimes this is filling a need in their education and other times it is filling the need of a student just needing a hug to get through the day.

If you could pass on any wisdom to your students, what would you share?

Always find the positive in the negative. I tell them this all the time. I want them to always find a reason to smile, because no matter how bad something might seem, there is always a reason to smile!

What is a professional motto or quote that you “work” by?

Students first. Even on my hardest days, they are the reason I teach. As long as my teaching and philosophy for education have students first, I know I am doing what I need to do.

What do you enjoy most about working in UCPS?

For me, it is the sense of family. I grew up as a UCPS student and now teach here. It is amazing to me when I see past teachers and administrators that still recognize me and give me encouragement. Most of my students had family go through UCPS as well, so they also get to feel that the community is part of their family.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

My superpower would be to read minds. I love trying to figure out what my students are thinking to push them to a deeper level of thinking.

List five adjectives that describe your personality.

• Bubbly
• Caring
• Smart-witted
• Passionate
• Punctual