Spotlight on U (Teachers)

What do you teach and why did you become a teacher? 

I teach eighth-grade language arts and English I. I became a teacher because I am passionate about building relationships with my students, I love opportunities for creativity and I strive to make a lasting, positive impact on their lives.

What is your favorite memory from your teaching career? 

One of my favorite teaching memories is from when I taught fourth grade at Kensington Elementary. One of the parent helpers surprised our class with custom shirts that said ‘Sinople’s Strikers.’ They were bright red with white lettering and a lightning bolt across the front. We wore them on Fridays and at school events, and the students were so proud to be part of the team. Recently, I ran into one of my former ‘Strikers,’ who is now 25 years old, and he told me he still has his shirt—it’s a memory we both cherish.

What's one piece of advice you'd give to aspiring teachers?

The best advice I can give to aspiring teachers is to focus on building relationships first. Students learn best when they feel seen, valued, and supported. Trust and connection lay the foundation—content comes after.

Describe your most creative lesson plan. How did you make the topic fun for students?

One of my most creative lesson plans was during a unit on argumentative writing. Students were tasked with debating whether social media is more beneficial or risky for teens. While they researched, read articles and gathered evidence to support their claims, I introduced a positivity project to model the potential for social media to spread encouragement. I created large Instagram-style pages on butcher paper—one for each day of the week—designed to look like real posts. I hung them in the hallway. Each day celebrated something positive, such as favorite pets, happy places or inspiring quotes. Students ‘uploaded’ their pictures and added supportive comments to each post, which I then printed and displayed on the butcher paper. The project not only gave students a creative outlet, but also turned our hallway into a space filled with positivity, showing the impact kind words and shared joy can have on others. Middle schoolers already spend time on social media, so recreating an Instagram feed in class made the activity instantly relatable.

What do you do for fun in your free time (outside of teaching)?

I recently became an empty nester, so I spend a lot of time reading, walking the dog, traveling and spending time with my husband. We are now season ticket holders for UNC football, so we can go to home games and visit both of our children at school!

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

I would definitely want to fly—I could go anywhere I wanted without limits and I think that I would love to see the world from that perspective.

What is your favorite season and what do you enjoy doing during that season?

I love autumn! I grew up in South Florida so I never had season changes until I moved to North Carolina. My favorite things to do are apple picking, anything outside, and of course drinking a pumpkin spice latte!

If you could pass on any wisdom to your students, what would you share?

If I could pass on any wisdom to my students, it would be to always be kind and learn from your mistakes rather than fearing them.