Where did you spend your high school years/go to college?
I grew up in a rural area in Scottdale, PA, and I went to Westminster College. My high school was so small that, on the first day of school, all the students automatically sat in alphabetical order when we walked into our rooms. We knew everyone’s name.
Why did you decide to work at NA?
My college roommate went to North Allegheny and she raved about this place. My husband and I actually bought a house in the district before I got the job.
How did you end up as a GOAL teacher? What’s your favorite part of being one?
Working with kids who are in charge of extending their own love of learning is one of the greatest gigs I could have. I went through a similar kind of program as a student and it meant all the difference in the world in terms of learning things you were interested in. My very favorite part by far is being present for someone’s “AHA!” moment–when the student catches on to a concept and you can see it is going to unlock new ways of thinking.
Is there a particular memory from NASH that has been the most meaningful to you?
There are so, so many. Last year, I got to take a bus full of students to see the eclipse in totality in Erie …and that was a really impactful, memorable experience.
What plans do you have for after retirement?
My husband and I plan to circumnavigate the globe in year one, then concentrate on domestic travel in year two, then look around and see where we can put our talents to use to make a difference to improve our world.
What’s your favorite IO you’ve ever been on?
I was with 8th graders at the Wheeling Space Shuttle Challenger Simulation. The kids were asked to navigate a spacecraft through a series of complex challenges. The director would interrupt with “emergencies,” and the students had to solve those while completing the mission. Finally, as time was running out they were instructed to evacuate the craft. I had been there in previous years and I’d never seen that before. It turned out that the students had done such a great job that the instructors actually snuck in and sabotaged everything the kids had done, and then they let them back in to see if they could fix THAT. They did in the time remaining and successfully completed the mission. What a celebration!
If you could have had any other job–no limits on what’s realistic–what would you want it to be?
I love watching babies and kids learn language and decode meaning. I would love to be a part of a team that works on studying and improving that!
What’s something interesting about you that most people wouldn’t guess?
I was a television and special events producer for 10 years.
If you could relive any year of your teaching career, which one would it be, and why?
The bookends! My students in the first year of teaching got something from me no other class ever could. And this year, my last, is so sweet with every milestone and every event being “my last rodeo.”
If you got stranded on a deserted island with any NA GOAL teacher, which one would you hope it was for the best chances of survival?
The Marshall Middle School GOAL teacher Dan Williams is the luckiest guy I know — he is a guy for whom everything turns out great. I would guess my chances of survival would go up remarkably just because I would benefit from all the lucky things that happen to him.
If you could make sure that every member of the NASH student body remembered a piece of advice you gave to them, what would it be?
There are two things that are very important:
- Make sure you find the fun, and
- Work towards something much bigger than yourself. It would be so cool if people saw how important it is to work towards making things better their whole lives.
