Q: As an STA alumna, how did it feel coming back as a teacher?
A: “So coming back as a teacher has been such a good mix of emotion. At first, when I figured out I had this job, I was so excited to come back! I really loved my high school experience here, so being able to come back and be in a position where I can… have this experience as a teacher has just been such a wonderful feeling. A lot of nerves come in as well. There’s quite a few teachers here who were here when I was a student, so being able to see them, not just as my teacher anymore, but also like a colleague, there was a little bit of nervousness. But also, that’s just such a wonderful opportunity and I feel very blessed and very excited to be an alumna coming back to an institution that I really love.
Q: How did you get into Latin? Can you describe your studies at college and where you went to school?
A:”I would love to! So I think this year makes my 11th year studying Latin. I started [studying Latin] here at STA in freshman year of high school. I was really drawn to Latin, so I took it and I fell in love with it. Turns out I was pretty good at it so I continued moving up and eventually when I got to Latin 4, it was a lot more about reading Latin, and that’s when I really started to fall in love with it. It’s kind of like working out a puzzle and figuring out the meaning behind things kind of like an English class, but you’re also doing foreign language. It really just tickled my brain in the best way and I never dreaded coming to that class. When I was looking at colleges, I looked for classics programs and I got my bachelor’s at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois which is in the middle of nowhere. It had a great classics program, so I was able to delve deeper into Latin texts that I had never seen before and really work on honing my skills as a teacher. I got my masters at KU, and that also gave me an opportunity to do some more teaching. My education really gave me a strong backbone for coming here.”
Q: What has been your favorite or most memorable part of being a teacher and student at STA?
A: “That feels like a long time ago but something I always look back fondly on is playing lacrosse here. I worked my butt off and I had a wonderful time. So the memories of being with my team and growing as an athlete and leader is something I will always hang on to. Right now being a teacher, my favorite thing is being an advisor. I love my advisory and I’m really glad they have accepted me as their advisor since they had a switch.”
Q: Outside of school what are some of your hobbies?
A: “I have gotten back into summer reading for fun finally. Sometimes in school, it’s hard to do your reading for fun, so I finally got back into it over the summer. I’ve also learned how to cross stitch this summer… I needed a hobby that didn’t involve a screen because my eyes were getting really fatigued and it was not adding anything to my life.”
Q: Tell me about your family.
A: “Well, growing up it was me, my older brother, and my little brother. My older brother went to Archbishop O’Hara. My little brother went to Rockhurst. He and I are 16 months apart, so we are very close. Growing up, we would be at all different high schools doing various activities. My parents were wonderful to me, even though I wasn’t wonderful to them… they were very supportive when I decided to come to STA and when I decided I wanted to play lacrosse instead of dance.
Q: Tell me about your new engagement. How has that been like for you and what are you most excited for entering into this new stage in life?
A: “It was so exciting! So, I had my suspicions… day of he had a bag and he usually doesn’t carry a bag. I thought, that’s weird. But we were going out for a little day date to celebrate the start of school, and he was starting his master’s program. We went to Crown Center, did some shopping, ate some lunch, went to the candy store, which is what I really wanted to do because I love the candy store at Crown Center. Then we went to Liberty Memorial. It was a beautiful day and it wasn’t very busy. Also Liberty Memorial is where we ended our very first date back in 2020… it’s a very special place for us. The ring he gave me is actually his great-grandma’s. She passed away this summer, so I got to know her for a good five years and I’m really thankful that she gets to be a part of our journey so far. We have not done much planning but I’ve booked two venue tours and we’ve started a guest list. Honestly, we’re really just enjoying being engaged after five years and it’s been really good.”
