After I graduated from Paris High School in  1970, I enrolled at Paris Junior College on a Journalism scholarship, receiving an Associate of Arts degree in 1972.  I then transferred to East Texas State University where I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and History with a minor in French in 1974.  I continued my studies at East Texas State, earning a Master of Arts degree in Englsih with an emphasis on Southern literature in 1978.  Fast forward a few years, and my final degree was an Ed.D. in the College Teaching of English from former East Texas State, now Texas A&M, Commerce, in 1998.  This last degree consisted of a major in American literature and minors in British literature, Comparative literature, and Linguistics.

I have lifetime secondary certification in English and History.

In the past 47 years, I have enough professional development hours and conference attendance to fill a notebook.  I have been an Advanced Placement reader for the past 20 years, and I annually receive training to keep my Gifted/Talented teacher status updated.  I am currently about to take my certification test for ESL.

My husband Jack and I have been married for 50 years and live with our 3 tomcats Eldrick, Sonny, And Ginger.

When I am not teaching, I’m often involved in dirt therapy, working in my flower beds.  I have been a runner for the past 40 years, and although I no longer run marathons (32 total), I still run 20-25 miles a week and compete in half marathons.  I also love to travel, still needing Antarctica to finish off all the continents, read, as a typical English teacher, and collect art from indigenous people, especially  traditional Native American pttery.