She has to escape past to start enjoying life
“I think my background has a lot to do with developing a passion for helping kids. I went through a lot when I was growing up. I left home when I was 18, and I never...
Author: David Berkowitz
She helps teens deal with bullying and much more
“The youth pastor at Old River Baptist Church asked if I’d be interested in helping lead a group for troubled teens called The Landing. After I heard a little about it, I said, ‘Absolutely.’ It’s for...
Reading more fun with prizes, ice cream parties
“We have different incentives to encourage the students to read. Little kids are really motivated by pencils, bookmarks, erasers and stuff like that. We do AR (accelerated reader) dollars. I run reports every few weeks, and...
He sets his sights on designing video games
“Originally, I was an electrical engineering major. But I realized I didn’t like it, so I decided to change to something I actually enjoy. And I like video games. Not just as entertainment, but as an...
Hectic schedule all part of realizing her dreams
“I’ve always had this interest in animals. You name it, I’ve probably had it: geese, turtles, chickens, dogs, fish, rats, hamsters … I’ve had it all. I’m really interested in wildlife, too. I love fishing and...
Teaching kids the importance of reading is key
“A big kind of buzzword these days is ‘future ready librarian.’ What a lot of that means is, are we preparing young students for the technology that they’re going to encounter? Are we exposing them to...
Little Free Library connects kids with reading
“I was looking at a librarian page on Facebook, and someone had posted about their Little Free Library. I thought it looked pretty cool. So when it came time to write Education Foundation grants, I decided...
Fresh start includes trying to become police officer
“A lot of stuff happened back in Arizona, so I came here to get a fresh start. “My girlfriend and I were together for two years. Then things happened, we faded, and we broke up. But...
‘There are enough good days, I can still enjoy life’
“I haven’t worked since 2008, and I’m now permanently disabled. I’ve had 15 car accidents since I started driving as a teenager. The one that messed up my neck happened in Louisiana in 2001. I thought...
Foster care advocate has ‘so much love to give’
“I’m a volunteer court-appointed special advocate for children who are in the foster care system. Their case worker may change. Their attorney may change. But unless they move to Austin or some place like that, I...
