Grade/ school: Elementary School Counselor, Oak Trace Elementary
Number of years teaching: 16
Background/schooling: Homestead High School, Fort Wayne; bachelor’s in liberal arts/psychology, Purdue University, West Lafayette; and master’s in education, IUPUI.
Why did you become a teacher? I’ve always had an instinct to help others, and many people have encouraged me to embrace that need. When I left Purdue I had this vision of becoming a corporate person in advertising, but it seems the big man had other plans. After failing in that industry, I decided to follow my passion and began mentoring students in my hometown and coaching football. I choose to continue my education and became a school counselor.
What goals do you have for your students? My goal for the students I service is to empower them to leave a lasting impression for the next generation of students to follow. I want to develop a compassionate person who perseveres to meet any goal they may set for themselves.
What do you encourage parents to do at home to help their children strengthen particular skills? As parents we must allow children to learn from mistakes. A parent’s natural instinct is to protect and as great as that instinct is in emergencies, we need to harness that desire at school. Like all inventors without our failures we would not have the sweet taste of success.
What is your favorite movie? I’m a product of the 80’s so l love all the movies filled with the memorable one liner. My favorite would have to be “Sixteen Candles.”
Who is your favorite musician or band? That is tough to limit to just one I love music, but I guess I’d go with Jane’s Addiction. I’ve seen them the most in concert.
What’s something your students might not know about you? My first consistent paying job was milking around 90 cows after school and on weekends for a local farmer during my sophomore year in high school.
