Educators are perhaps the greatest population of unsung heroes in Berrien and Cass County. This school year, Leader Publications will publish a weekly spotlight featuring teachers throughout the district, giving the community a chance to get to know the hard-working individuals shaping their children’s lives. Throughout the next school year, their answers will be published in the newspaper that serves each school district.

Grades/subjects taught: 9 to 12 Spanish and English

Where did you attend college? FIRE School of Ministry and Western Michigan University.

How many years have you been teaching? How many years have you been with your current school? One year in Mexico, [and] I’m in my third year here in the U.S., and first year at Niles New Tech.

Why did you decide to become a teacher? I did mission work for six years and really saw the need for educators here in the states and around the world.  But what inspired me to get a degree in education was when I had the opportunity to work at school in Mexico. It was there I fell in love with teaching. Although I had a TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) certification and a ministry degree, I realized I wanted to become the best educator I could be for my students and that drove me to pursuing a degree in education.

Outside of school, what do you enjoy doing for fun? I love-love dancing-Latin dancing and Swing dancing.  If time and opportunity permitted more, I also love anything I can do at the beach, rock-climbing, and four-wheeling.

What is one thing your students may not know about you? I’m not sure. I’m pretty open with my students about who I am and where I’ve come from, and how I ended up as their teacher.  And I’ve shared a lot of crazy stories from my life and travels. But maybe something random is I can do a backflip (on the trampoline or off the diving board).

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? Wonder Women — do I really need to say why? Her name really says it all!

When you were a student in the grade you teach, what were your favorite hobbies? Hanging out with friends, whether that was just chillin’ at their house, going to the beach, going to youth group events, or being camp counselors together.

How would your co-workers describe your teaching style and personality? Well, just recently it made my day when someone brought me a teacher of the month award for positivity, so I’d have to say (and I hope) that my co-workers describe my teaching style as creating a very positive learning environment and experience.

Who is your biggest role model and why? Mother Teresa. I know she may sound like a cliche hero, but ever since I was a little girl, she has inspired me to reach the unreachable and help those in need from all walks of life.

How has education changed in the last 10 years? I’m not a 10-year teacher yet, but I’d say technology is a huge game changer as far as providing resources for students and educators.

What is your best advice to parents to help their child continue growing academically? Encourage reading — it can be anything from comic books to biographies, so much background knowledge is gained from reading.

Also, instead of asking how their learner’s day was, ask their learner what was the best thing that happened in school that day and what was the worst. Parents can learn quite a bit about what their students’ needs are from asking these two things.

If my students learn one thing this year, I hope it is… that they believe they can be successful.

This photo was taken during spirit week.