As a civilian in July of 2000, I was stationed at the Wiesbaden, Germany Armed Airbase through the U.S. Department of Defense Dependent Schools. For one semester, I student taught seventh and eighth grade students who were children of active-duty members in the U.S. military. After having completed my student teaching in Wiesbaden, Germany at Wiesbaden, I returned to Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) to receive my undergraduate degree in December 2000. I accepted a Social Studies teaching position in August 2001. I have been teaching U.S. History, CP American Government, and AP College Board U.S. Government & Politics at Lakota East High School since 2001. Currently, I am in my 21st year teaching. I was accepted as a graduate student at Xavier University in 2002 and completed my degree in Educational Administration in 2004. At that time, I studied and passed the Ohio Principal’s Licensure Praxis Test to obtain my 5-12 grade principal’s license. In 2007, I was honored by the Lakota East senior class with Lakota East Teacher of the Year. During that same school year, I was accepted to two (2) Washington, D.C., professional development opportunities. The first seminar I attended was the Georgetown Law U.S. Supreme Court Street Law Seminar. That summer, I met former U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The second opportunity was the U.S. House of Representatives Office of the Historian Seminar. I was able to meet several members of the U.S House and U.S. Senate. I was afforded the opportunity to spend time with and inside the office of the then Speaker of the House, John Boehner.
Starting in January 2006, I was accepted into the Miami University doctoral program for Education Leadership. Working full time as a teacher, I took seven (7) years to complete my courses, pass the comprehensive exit exams, and write a dissertation. During my studies, I took on the role for three (3) years as adjunct professor of EDL 318: Teacher Leadership for Elementary and Secondary Pre-Service Teachers. In July of 2013, I defended my dissertation in front of my dissertation committee three (3) weeks after having my first child. I have collaborated with the American Legion of West Chester for fifteen (15) years, connecting war veterans with Lakota East students. In 2020, the American Legion of West Chester Post 681 nominated me along with one hundred (100) Ohio educators for Educator of the Year. However, because of COVID cancellations, I did not find out that I was awarded the American Legion Ohio District #4 Educator of the Year until late 2020. In March of 2021, I found out that I was awarded the Ohio American Legion Educator of the Year. I attended the Ohio American Legion’s Annual Banquet in Columbus, Ohio, and accepted my award along with the Police Officer of the Year, Firefighter of the Year, Politician of the Year, and Citizen of the Year.
The education I received through the Mariemont City School system (Terrace Park Elementary and Mariemont junior high/high school) in a small school setting is invaluable. I graduated in 1996 and I still believe the educational and extra-curricular experiences I had K-12 are unmatched. The Mariemont City Schools staff members are spectacular, one-of-a-kind educators. They truly are saints. They all shaped me in some way as I pave my path through teaching.