What do you teach? I teach fabulous first graders. 

What is your educational background? I received my Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education from Bob Jones University. I then completed graduate work in Reading Instruction at Clemson University and Grand Canyon University. 

How many years have you taught? I taught K4 for 3 years, 5 year old kindergarten for 8 years, second grade for a year, and now first grade for a grand total of 13 years in the classroom. I spent 8 of those years teaching in the public elementary schools of Greenville County and 5 of those years teaching in private schools. I can honestly say that the year and a half I have been here at PCA are some of my favorites.

What do you love most about PCA? PCA is truly a gift from God to my family. I am blessed to have three children attending PCA. When we moved here from Greenville in the summer of 2019, I wasn't sure what God had in store for us. PCA was such an answer to prayer. My children love their teachers and have many friends. I have also found some of my closest friends here at PCA. There have been so many times that my sweet teacher friends will stop and pray for me when I have an issue I'm dealing with. The teachers and administration truly care and shine the love of Jesus. The parents and children have also been fantastic. Their kindness and generosity are humbling. I love the small class sizes that allow me to spend quality time with individual students. It is wonderful to be in a place that the Bible is taught, prayer begins our day (and continues throughout), and academic excellence is achieved.

Who is someone that you really admire?  I really admire my mother. She is 75 and has raised 5 children who are all married. She manages to keep up with us, all 14 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren while working full-time as a personal caregiver to the elderly. There is always room at the dinner table for one more in mom's house. This same dinner table was always set with delicious homemade food every evening for our family dinner. She was committed to my crazy, God-fearing, fun-loving, stubborn dad for 54 years until he passed away in 2019. Her silliness, gentle spirit, open Bible on the breakfast table, perseverance through difficulty, and love for all make her the top person I admire. 

What is your favorite family tradition? When it comes to family traditions, it is really hard to pick just one favorite. I grew up in a family that was all about keeping traditions from year to year. I've since carried many of them on to my own family. Funny how my favorite ones revolve around food. The Thanksgiving dinner table is always a special place to cram as many people as we can into a dining room and remember all we are thankful for as each person shares about God's blessings that year. The Christmas Eve dinner table is a place for delectable food, fine dining, and good conversation with those that may need encouragement. The decorated Valentine dinner table also has the yummiest food and fine china, but has the added excitement of plates flipped over covering a small treat from mom. 

What topic could you give a 20 minute presentation on without any preparation? Believe it or not, I could give a 20 minute lecture on saltwater fishing without any preparation. Something I have come to love here in Charleston is teaching people how to fish. My oldest is an avid angler and inspired me to get my saltwater instructor's license. Since then, I have run a summer fishing camp, volunteered with SCDNR in a saltwater family fishing clinic, and helped my boy win second in a local fishing tournament. My Game Warden husband thought it was funny when he heard this city girl was going to get certified to teach fishing, but I have loved giving children and adults the gift of knowing how to catch fish.