Harvard Junior High

"I did not go directly to college out of high School. It took me a little bit of time to truly figure out what my career goals were. I eventually went back to school and got a degree in Criminal Justice from North Park University, and then got my Master’s in Conflict Resolution and Mediation from Dominican University."

"I was a very “difficult" student to work with when I was young. I had a couple of very special teachers that looked past my behavior and saw that I was a good person that just made poor choices. Those teachers made me want to help other kids that were like me, who were just misunderstood."

"I have a unique position where I get a chance to work with a lot of the kids in all grade levels at the Junior High. Whatever role I need to be for them, it’s these interactions that I love and cherish about my job. It is said that 'If you love your job, you will never work a day in your life'."

"I love that we have so many different cultures in the district. The idea of diversity is something that I embrace. That being said, I love that we have students and teachers from all parts of the world. This allows me and others to learn about different cultures. I can’t count how many times I have talked with a student or teacher about their culture and said, 'wow, I did not know that'."

"Find people or ideas that inspire you and mimic them. If you know someone who has inspired you lately, tell someone the story of why they inspired you. The chances are that it might inspire someone else, but also listening to yourself tell a story that makes you happy will in turn enhance your happiness."