For the past five years, Ms. C has given so much to Incarnation: teaching Middle School English, coaching Girls Basketball, moderating afterschool Art and Cooking clubs, staying late for movie nights and other events, the list goes on... And now she is ready, willing, and excited to give more as our school principal.
What made you want to become a teacher? My mom is a special education teacher, and I used to visit her classroom and watch her in action, so that was the first thing that made me interested in teaching. When I was a senior in high school, I was a mentor in a freshman English class, and I loved working with the teacher and all the students. In college, I started taking classes focused on education, and I realized that this was a profession that would make me excited to go to work every day because of the tangible, positive impact I could have on my students.
What was your favorite subject in school? English, but especially reading. I wouldn't even realize time was going by when we were reading in class together. The texts my teacher chose, especially in high school, made me think in ways I never had before and opened my mind to ideas and perspectives I never would’ve considered otherwise.
What is the best part of working at Incarnation? We are truly a family, and our Catholic faith drives everything we do. The Incarnation community is unlike any other community in my life. Though I'm Catholic, I didn't go to Catholic school growing up. The first time I visited Incarnation, I knew it was a special place, but I didn't fully understand why. As our students, families, and faculty welcomed me into the community and I noticed that our Catholic faith is integrated into everything we do, I realized that treating each other like family is what our faith calls us to do, and we do that exceptionally. I'm so grateful to be part of it!
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? I would like to spend time traveling around different parts of Italy. I visited once and got to see Florence and Venice, and they were magnificent. That trip left me wanting to see the whole country, eating as much pizza and pasta as I can along the way!
What's something about you we might not guess? I have three younger sisters named Lexi (24), Eva (22), and Vanessa (17). It was kind of crazy growing up with all girls, but I don’t think I’d change it. We’ve gotten a lot closer as we’ve all grown older.
What's your message for students at Incarnation? The Gospel of Timothy says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” I tell my students that when we feel fearful or nervous, we just really care about what’s going to happen next. When you’re feeling fearful about the future, remember that God and your Incarnation family are always with you. Your power lies within your love for yourself, for God, and for each other, and we hope Incarnation has paved the way for you to live and walk in God's grace with confidence and resilience.