By Ciara Ward
When students graduate, they pack up in hopes to never see the inside of their high school again. But the story of Katie O’Keenon is different. She’s a graduate from the class of ’05 and is roaming the halls of PGHS again, as a teacher.
“It’s where I’m supposed to be, I see this everyday I come in for work,” O’Keenon said.
As a student teacher, she has had two job placements in the county. At N.B. Clements she learned to create a unit out of nothing, and to successfully test and teach a lesson. Currently, she’s at the high school learning to teach information to different types of learners.
“Teachers that inspire me are giving me compliments that I’m doing good. It feels good to get recognition,” O’Keenon said.
Williamson feels that she (O’Keenon) had a natural teaching ability and has been sharing different teaching techniques she has developed over the years.
O’Keenon generally loves teaching and has future plans of substituting in the spring. She also had hopes to get a job in the fall.
Trey Carter • Mar 3, 2011 at 9:27 pm
This is great to know that the PGHS Alumni are coming back to help their alma mater. Alumni should always be wiling to give back to their high schools.
Conner Stevenson • Jan 14, 2011 at 9:51 pm
I really admire the fact that people want to come back after graduating from college and teach here. I feel that it really says something good about our education system as well as out community. I hope that things go well for this teacher as she endures the pressures of being a new teacher.
Rachel Arnold • Jan 14, 2011 at 1:56 pm
I think it would be neat to come back to the school you went to for high school and teach all of the students that are in the place you used to be. It definitely gives you an advantage since you can relate to them better. Plus, you might even get to work alongside the teachers that actually taught you!
shelby reynolds • Jan 14, 2011 at 5:08 am
Now thats something to admire. A woman who knows exactly what she wants and she goes and works hard to get it. I love that kinda of drive. I personally wouldnt want to come back to my high school being the way i am now, but because i love art so much id probably work at pghs if life brought me that direction, and i wouldnt have any quams about it either.
Carrie Young • Jan 13, 2011 at 8:54 pm
I know Katie personally, and whenever I see her at school she always seems really happy with what she is doing. If I wanted to be a teacher I would love to come back to Prince George County to teach.
Diana O. • Jan 12, 2011 at 9:48 pm
This story just proves the theory to stay humble and do not forget where you came from. O’Keenon is someone to admire. She graduated from college and used her knowledge to make where she came from a greater place to be for the students.
Madison Guidry • Dec 17, 2010 at 9:44 pm
My mother was an alumni and she now teaches in the county. I think it is awesome that they wanted to come back to the county that inspired them to become a teacher. They are the ones who inspire students to become teachers and come back to Prince George.
Malikah Williams • Dec 17, 2010 at 7:56 pm
This is truly wonderful. To go off and get a college education and then come back to your old school to inspire the next generation is admirable.
Rachel Waymack • Dec 15, 2010 at 2:48 pm
I think that it’s admirable, if you want to become a teacher, to come back to teach at your old school and help give back to the place that helped get you to where you wanted to be.