School Days!

I am from Waco and I went to Tennyson Middle School and Waco High. I was my Senior Class President and the mascot. I was very active in school activities and made good grades. I also loved to have fun!



If the pictures do not display, click on the links below:
Waco High Lions
Junior Year at Homecoming with my big sis, Laura Evans
At the football game playing around with Jack Strother, the quarterback
Me in Lion Mascot Suit-Yearbook Picture
Jack and Jill Debutante with escort Kenyatta Cavil
Voted Class Favorite, Most Spirited!
High School Graduation Invitation
In my cap and gown-Graduation Picture
Fast forward to 1999
10 Year High School Reunion
Class officers: Me, President, Laura B. Vice President, Laura E., Secretary, and Todd M. Treasurer.
At picnic with families
Reunion Dinner group picture

College was Great!!

I went to McLennan Community College for my Associates Degree in General Education and then transferred to, then Southwest Texas State University, in San Marcos. They've since changed the name to Texas State University, San Marcos, but it will always be SWT to me. My major was Speech Communication and my minor was Spanish. I spent my last summer in school studying abroad in Puerto Rico at the University of Puerto Rico, in San Juan. The picture below is of El Yunque, a most beautiful rain forest I visited while there. Majestic!!It was a life time experience! I even joined a public service sorority named Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. I was very active and was awarded Student Organizations Woman of the Year along with the honor of being selected as Homecoming Gallardian. College was wonderful! I learned so much and made many life-long friends.

My Family

Family means a whole lot to me. All of my maternal and paternal grandparents are deceased. Below is a picture of me and my mom on Mother's Day 2005.
Next is a picture of my aunt Beverly and my other aunt Alice, who's a teacher in WISD. They are my Mom's younger sisters. They have had a great impact on my life.

My sister's name is Jennifer. I call her Jenny most of the time or "J". She means a whole lot to me cause she's my only sister! She was a collage professor and now has been substitute teaching along with me in the school district. Lots of students and teachers think we are twins but she actually is 13 months older than me! Yeah, I'm the baby of my family.

Here's a collage of Jenny, me and Dad. I was experimenting with Google Picasa that day.

We have two older brothers named Melvin and Brian. Melvin lives here in Waco and Brian and his wife life in Georgia. I have three nieces and two nephews that I wish I could spend more time with.

My Sweet Pea and Wiley

I used to own a beautiful darling miniature Dachshund named Sweet Pea. She was only 4 months when I bought her home. Unfortunately she lived to be only 9 months because she had an accidental death. I was devestated. I miss her dearly and know she's having fun at Rainbow Bridge.

Dachshunds can live to be very old. I know because my Mom has one named Wiley and he's VERY OLD! Try 30 yrs in human years! He has his own blog here.

My Goddaughter Kalee

Here's a picture of my Goddaughter Kalee. I've watched her grow into a beautiful, responsible young woman. She's a student at the University of Texas at San Antonio and wants to pursue a career in business. Her Godfather Michael is also in the picture. He's a minister in Houston. It's hard to believe I've watch her grow from 9yrs old to 22!!

Places I've lived

Corporate America

Upon graduating from SWT, I went to work for a private premium chocolate company called Russell Stovers. I worked for them for almost 7 1/2 years. It involved a lot of travel and working with small and large businesses. I was a sales representative as well as a manager. I lived in Houston and Sacramento, Ca while working for them. When I left that company I relocated to Southern California to work for another company owned by Colgate Palmolive.

My Hobbies and Inspirations

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to write, take pictures and videotape capturing moments! I even love to speak to young people about making right choices!

Click on the links to see some of my work. I even have my own website! I love technology and am very good on the computer and can type pretty fast!

Open Mic Poetry Host

I host Open Mic Poetry at Beatnix Coffeehouse every Thursday night. It's a family friendly atmosphere, so come on out and hear some great poetry. If you have a favorite poem you'd like to read or recite, you are quite welcomed! In the summer time, I host Teen Poetry Cafe along with a student who goes to St. Louis Catholic School.

Teaching is Fun!!

I love young people and I love to teach! I love to inspire and I love to impart knowledge! When I started substitute teaching a year and a half ago, I never knew I'd learn so much about how students learn. Out of the 32 schools in WISD, I've subbed at 21! That's a lot! All of the high schools, all but one middle school and the rest, elementary! My goal was to teach at all 32. Perhaps I can make that goal come true this year!

Most of the schools I've taught at the kids and I have a great time! I learn so much when teaching! Students know I expect only the best out of them and I am very consistent with my expecatations. It's a great feeling to know that students look forward to you coming to teach! I get that most every place I go. It's a blessing!

I've enjoyed substitute teaching so much that I decided to get certified to become a full-time teacher. I'm getting alternative teacher certification through MCC in Generalist 4-8, which means that I can teach at the elementary level grades 4-5 and middle school 6-8 in all of the core content classes like Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. As a substitute teacher I've already taught quite a bit in all the areas.

Here's a collage of some 7th grade Athens students from Cesar Chavez Middle School on the last day of school! We were having fun taking what I call "lean in nostril" shots!

TAKS TEST HELP

I love to write. I love to blog. I love to teach. I love technology. With that being said, since I taught last year in a long term postition as an 8th Grade Math/Algebra teacher, I decided to put together a blog to help my students out. Now any student needing help can visit my Pass TAKS Math Blog and get lots of help! I also put together a TAKS Algebra Blog as well. Visit either today and feel free to leave me comments.