2008 Hopewell Graduate
Post Secondary Education
- Pennsylvania State University
- Journalism 2012
Memorable high school clubs/experiences:
- Hopewell Hi-Lites newspaper staff
- Gifted Education Program
- Varsity tennis team
- National Honor Society
- Latin club
- Service-learning project, Hope-In-A-Bag
Current Occupation
- Newspaper Reporter
Current Position/Employer
- Crime and police reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Family
- Married, with many family members still residing in Hopewell
Questions
What role have public school educators played in your life?
- An exceptional eighth-grade English teacher encouraged me to write.
- A terrific teacher at the high school trusted me with the high school newspaper, which I led as the editor under her guidance for three years.
- While they were editing my drafts or helping me rewrite headlines, it’s hard to know if they imagined those are the very things I’d do professionally a decade later. It’s hard to know if I would have pursued newspaper journalism without their support.
- Luckily, I walked into their classrooms, and they helped hone my skills and identify a career I am passionate about.
- Public school educators can change students’ lives. They changed mine.
How has your years in a public school setting enriched your life?
- Beyond helping me identify a career I am passionate about, my years at Hopewell were marked by my involvement in extracurricular activities where I learned leadership and time-management skills — essential to my success in college. I went on to lead the independent, student-run newspaper at The Daily Collegian at Penn State during the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the death of football coach Joe Paterno.
Why are electives (i.e. performance arts, languages) so critical in public school?
- By the time I accepted my diploma in Tony Dorsett Stadium, I knew how to lead a newspaper staff, write headlines and report news stories — all thanks to the journalism elective and a fantastic teacher.
- Electives often allow students to apply lessons learned in core classes to real-world scenarios and should be viewed as essential for students’ success after graduation.
What was your most memorable experience in your tenure at Hopewell schools (K-12)?
- During my freshman year, I helped lead a service learning project, “Hope-in-a-Bag,” for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Beaver County. We pitted graduating classes against each other to see who could raise the most money or items to put in backpacks for children served by CASA.
- It was so rewarding to see the entire high school come together for a good cause, raising more than $1,000 and 3,000 items for abused and neglected children in our community.
Why is it important to encourage the next generation of educators to join the profession?
- Educator can provide everything from a simple, friendly smile to career guidance, making students’ days and lives better.