I LOVE it here at Wills Point and I LOVE my job! This is my fourth year teaching Yearbook/Graphic Design, Principles of Education & Training, and Career Prep.

I have been in education for 12 years. I started in Illinois where I got my Bachelor's of Elementary Education in 2010. I was a daily sub for six months before we moved to Texas in June of 2011. I worked as a daily sub in Forney ISD for nearly a year until I was hired by Forney High School. I taught graphic design and business classes there for four years, where I was also an assistant softball coach. I then went to Kemp ISD as an Instructional Technology Coordinator for three years, but I missed interacting with students. When the Yearbook Advisor position became available at Wills Point, I jumped at it.

Prior to education, I worked as a graphic designer and web content developer. I continue today to do freelance graphics in the Forney area as well. 

I started my path in graphic design when I was on the yearbook staff during my junior year in high school. I was then privileged to be the EIC (Editor in Chief) my senior year, and that's where it all started.

Here at Wills Point, I teach:

YEARBOOK
The first year I advised books was the 2020 school year (COVID shut down). That year The Tiger book was selected by Balfour to be in their Yearbook Yearbook (not a typo!), which is the top 3% of all yearbooks published at Balfour based on design and content. We also submitted it for competition and received an Award of Achievement at the Interscholastic League Press Conference (journalism arm of UIL competitions). 

The Cub Yearbook of 2021 was selected as a national sample of quality design and The Tiger yearbook was again selected for the 2022 Yearbook Yearbook. BOTH The Cub AND The Tiger were recognized with the UIL Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) Award of Distinguished Merit -- this is equivalent to a 1 in band competitions.

2023 brought about a good problem to have -- we sold out of both The Cub and The Tiger books -- at least what we ordered. We also sold ALL overs that were sent to use for The Cub, and of the 30 that were sent to use for The Tiger, there were only seven left at the time of this update. We are also aware that The Tiger is being reviewed for the Balfour Yearbook Yearbook again this year.

Please follow us on Facebook or Instagram at @WPISD_YBK and see our WPISD_YBK Website for details on the yearbooks. We upload all of our photos to wpisdybk.smugmug.com and sell those as part of our fundraiser. Those funds make it possible for us to provide seniors with free photos for all activities of senior week including all photos we take at graduation. 

PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
This is the basic introduction to computer hardware. We learn about potential jobs in the IT world. We then explore the different components of a computer and how they work together. There will be an exploration of different types of software and the file types they create, as well as the uses of those file types. Network technology will also be introduced. 

CAREER PREP
This class is a 3-period class that gives students credit for one in-class period for training for career preparation and two more credits for on-the-job experience. We learn about labor laws, take career goal surveys and assessments, create resumes, cover letters, and personal websites, learn to search for a professional position, explore budgeting, and the 7-Habits of Highly Effective Teens.

PERSONAL NOTE:
I am married and have two kids, both of which have already graduated from Forney High School. My daughter is a freelance artist and my son is an infantryman in the Army. We have a dog, and a cat, and I tend to two planted tank aquariums -- one of them is in my classroom.