• Positions: Lead Art teacher
• Bachelors/Degrees & from where: Bachelors in Fine Arts from University of Houston
• School Activities: Part of Art program, NHSS and  AP Art Program
• Years at Caney Creek: 7 
• Years Teaching: 8

How would other people describe you?

Scary, all my students and other students say that I’m scary for some reason, adults that meet me can be a bit grouchy but that I can also be silly at times. Definitely by the book and definitely a stickler firm rules and regulations.

Was there a career you wanted to pursue OR pursued before teaching.

I had been interested in maybe being a graphic designer before settling into teaching. I always knew that I wanted to end up being a teacher but I decided to try the corporate life before I made my way into teaching and I got a job as a printer at a printing press for a HR company. I did that life for a couple of years and I hate it. So I decided to immediately pivot to teaching and I’ve never looked back. 

Tell us about how you got into teaching. 

I always knew since I was a little kid that I would want to be a teacher someday, because I saw and experienced myself the sort of magical effect we have of learning. I realized quickly that it was thanks to the teachers that we had teaching us and I knew that I wanted to be that person one day and I wanted to be the one to give others that experience and I got a taste of that when I was in high school. I was part of the RTC program we were in charge of teaching the freshman how to march and how to wear the uniform and I got to do that for two years, and I absolutely loved it because I took it seriously enough to actually make sure that they learned the stuff that they were supposed to learn, rather than the rest of the other yahoos who did it who were just yelling themselves and making them do push-ups or what not. 

What do you do outside of school for fun? Why? 

I have really gotten into cooking and trying out different recipes and different styles and techniques. I do it because I freaking love to eat who doesn’t and I also see it as a way of staying in sync with my craft, which is art. Yeah, definitely outside of school, I’m always looking to see what sort of new recipe or what sort of new dish I can try to make. 

When people get to know you, what are they most surprised to learn about you? 

Probably that I tend to be a bit of a softie compared to what others may, how I may initially appear. I distinctly remember Mr. Kelly when I first started teaching here, and I had been here for a couple of years. He said that his biggest surprise was that I present myself as being very gruff and it turns out that I’m actually a soft and sort of a goofy person instead of what I present to myself as in the exterior. So I would say that that’s probably the biggest thing that most people are surprised about because I’ve heard that quite a few times. Probably that I tend to be a bit of a softie compared to what others may, how I may initially appear. I distinctly remember Mr. Kelly when I first started teaching here, and I had been here for a couple of years. He said that was his biggest surprise of me is that I present myself as being very gruff and it turns out that I’m actually a soft and sort of a goofy person instead of what I present to myself as in the exterior. So I would say that that’s probably the biggest thing that most people are surprised about because I’ve heard that quite a few times. 

Tell us the story about what you are most proud of yourself for.

Definitely getting into the groove of teaching. There was a spell there after college where I wasn’t really sure where I should head. I wasn’t sure if I should continue to try to pursue the corporate or if I was ready to jump into teaching. And it took me a couple of years to find my groove really and truly to be the teacher I want to be. There was definitely a bit of a learning curve. But I would say I have to give myself credit for being where I’m currently at.I’m currently working on my master’s for administration. I have, I feel, established myself rather successfully here at Kenney Creek as the art teacher. So I think I’m not quite where I want to be in a perfect situation or scenario, but I think I’m getting there. 

Who is someone you are thankful for and why?

I definitely have to say I’m very thankful for my good friend and mentor, Dr. Davis, at the Central Office. She was the one who was very impressed by me at my first career fair that I went to interview for. I was really running out of hope of finding a teaching gig before I went to the career fair, and she kind of re-instilled that hope because she was eager and ready to try and hire me on the spot. Fortunately, it didn’t end up working out, but that motivated me to try again, which led to me getting a teaching job in Huntsville that helped start my teaching career. But she stayed very on top of trying to help me with my alternative certification program, gave me a lot of pointers for projects and ideas to help me get started. Eventually, I got the good fortune of being able to come to work with her directly here at Caney Creek. and I’ve learned a great, great deal from her. 

What advice would you give to someone pursuing a career similar to yours?

Oh gosh, the best possible advice I could give, the best advice that I could give someone would probably be the advice that I wish I had gotten when I first started teaching, which was that It’s okay to realize and recognize our own limits when we become teachers. It’s very easy when anybody becomes a teacher who really wants to teach, it’s very easy for them to adopt the mentality of, I need to save everyone, I need to be there for everyone, I need to do this for everyone, I need to save the world, so to speak. That definitely seems achievable at first when we’re in that honeymoon phase of teaching and we start getting good relationships with students and being able to be a source of support, a mentor, and that sort of thing. But over the years, I would say that I’ve definitely had to learn that it’s okay to recognize our own limits and that to be okay with only doing what you can. Instead of trying to break your back and trying to do everything and save everyone, it’s okay to recognize that you can do what you can for those that you can. 

What do you hope to be remembered for? 

It is very easy for me to say that I wish I am remembered for being the best teacher, the source of support, the one everybody turned to or whatnot. Everybody wants to be remembered that way. I would say at the very least, I would like to be remembered for the one who pushed people past their limits, to the one who pushed them past what was expected of them, what they expected of themselves, what society expected of them, what their friends expected of them. Even if it’s a good memory or a bad memory, you know, if they end up hating me for being a prick, being mean and being strict, but ultimately they are able to better themselves, they are more disciplined, they have a stronger work ethic, I’m okay with being remembered that way. I mean, I’ve heard it from several students who said, ‘man, so-and-so was such a prick,’ but I did learn to, you know, always double check myself. So I mean, even if that’s the way I’m remembered, I’d be okay with that. 

What’s on your bucket list? 

Right now, I don’t know. Originally, before last year, if you had asked me this, I would have said to buy a house, but I bought a house in August. So I’ve got that scratched off. I’ve started my master’s program. I’ve done my fair share of traveling. I’d have to really think about what my next bucket list item would be. 

Favorites

• Food: Exquisite Shushi
• Song: Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode
• Movie or TV Show: The Gentleman 
• Book: The Girl Who Owned A City by O. T. Nelson
• Color: Red