Board of Yearbook Advisers 

I am a Technology Innovator (Technology Integration Coach) Google Certified Trainer, and ISTE Certified Educator from Eastern Iowa. I obtained an endorsement in Journalism Education and have had a passion for journalism since being the Editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper. I enjoy teaching students how to capture the picture and write a caption to tell the story of the event, all while designing the most engaging pages for readers of our yearbook.

I love to take pictures and document events and people through those pictures. In my opinion, the details are what matters! When things get a bit tough in my life, my mantra, ”It’s All Good!” helps me move forward and look for the positive side of things. I have been an adviser for 13 years now. The process of creating the theme, designing pages and planning the book is something I look forward to each year. Using the pictures we capture, the design elements from the design team, and the dedicated work of my staff to accomplish this is an aspect I find very creative and fulfilling.

I have been a Communications Technology & Yearbook teacher in Ontario for 13-years. Previous to that, I worked for 15-years in Radio and Television Broadcasting as an on-air news/sports reader. I look at the yearbook as the school’s most important historical record. It should not only capture the images of each school year, but also provide a description of those events (ie, a picture may be worth a thousand words, but adding in those words helps out a lot!).

I’m starting my 27th year of teaching, and I am passionate about using journalism, speech and debate, theatre, and literature to expand the world of my students beyond the small, rural community that we live in. I love writing, I love photography, and having the chance to teach students how to tell stories using these skills in a way that people keep and cherish for decades is incredibly fulfilling. Every year I take a group of kids, some experienced and some novices, and I get to build a team, a family, that works together to tell a story.

As I begin my 22nd year in education, I look forward to what the future holds as an educator and fellow American. I have been working with the yearbook on multiple campuses for six years. It has been a pleasure for me the last few years capturing the moments of the students’ faces and events that they will treasure for years to come. Each year, Lifetouch makes it easier and easier to produce a book full of memories for others.

I am entering my 10th year of teaching and my 3rd as a yearbook adviser. I began teaching in Wyoming and am now in Alaska. While the majority of my teaching experience is in high school mathematics, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the yearbook world. I love the insight and creativity that emerges while leading a group of students in documenting history. Collaboration is so important in this process and I am excited to be a part of the process.

I am a former business and technology professional who has been a high school teacher for the last five years. I primarily teach business and technology electives to students in grades 10 through 12. I am also the adviser for our Yearbook Club, Model United Nations and DECA business. I find the yearbook offers not only creative opportunities to students, but also the ability to learn project management, business, sales and marketing. I have worked in various project management roles in my career and I find this to be great real-world experience.

Entering my 30th year in education, I am excited to be able to mentor and encourage young scholars in the field of journalism. I have been lucky enough to be an adviser for 25 yearbooks, with each year bringing together a group of talented, hard working students to create a history book that encapsulates our school and community. (What other class do people want to read your homework?) I’m honored to be able to work with the amazing representatives from Lifetouch on their advisory board to create an innovative program that will produce top-notch yearbooks for years to come.