“I have a mom, dad, and two 9-year-old siblings who live in Goochland, Virginia, which is where I lived when I was a kid. I went to Goochland High School and then Virginia Commonwealth University. I’ve always really liked English. I’ve always really liked reading and writing, and I kind of realized that I could do this for my career. I knew I wanted to get my masters degree, so I thought why not give it a shot.  I started to love English more than I liked it, and I realized I can teach this.  I have started to enjoy being a younger teacher ’cause I get to hang out with kids, but also be a role model to them. I think the students feel a bit more connected to younger teachers, so there’s an added responsibility of showing them that in these next few years of your life, this is kind of what it may or may not look like. I try to take this idea of me being fresh out of school as an opportunity for my students to see and know that I am open and here for them, but also I’m still an adult and a teacher for them.  My favorite part of my job, even if this sounds extremely cliché, is getting to be with my students every day, even if they drive me nuts sometimes. I have certainly have had challenges as a new teacher. I feel like some days I am kind of going in blind trying to teach a curriculum that I’ve never taught before; however, so many people here at Deep Run have helped and been kind of a role model to me. Pretty much the whole English department and people like Mrs. Tambellini, Mrs. Daniels, Mrs. Chilton, and one hundred percent Mrs. Oliver. There is a lot of help here for new teachers. I feel like I can go to anyone, any time and they never fail to give me a hand. Another thing that I think totally helps out being a newer teacher is other newer teachers, like Ms. Kornell, Mr. Norman, Ms. Carter. I feel like we are all in the same boat. […] I love working in such a great environment like Deep Run. I hope I will always get to teach such fun and hard working students like here.”