KILLEN, Ala. — A teacher's goal is to often get students ready for the next level of education. One Killen teacher's passion is to also get them ready for the real world; the adult world!
Meet this week's Valley's Top Teacher, Family & Consumer Sciences Teacher, Mrs. Katherine Graves.
She teaches at Brooks High School in Killen, AL.
What made her choose teaching as a career? Graves says, "I went into teaching because there were several teachers that I had in the past that I really looked up to and I wanted to be like them and make an impact on students."
Her passion for family and consumer sciences began as a high school student. "I just really loved the subject matter and I loved the fact that kids are learning real life skills like cooking and balancing checkbooks and taking care of babies and sewing and all those things," said Graves.
Graves' love for the subject extends far beyond the four corners of her classroom. "This is our classroom garden. Last year I wrote a grant through 'Ag in the Classroom' and got the funds to buy the dirt and the squash and we had cucumbers," she said.
Mrs. Graves also secured funding for new kitchen appliances and remodeling four years ago.
Jeff Burbank, the principal of Brooks High School, has known Graves for a long time. "Ms. Graves was a former student of mine, so to see her grow up and become such a superstar has been really fun for me. She teaches a course that students realize that it's going to be beneficial to them in the future".
And what keeps her coming back? "They motivate me to get up and do this job everyday 'cause I truly care for everyone of them."
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