This is my 21st year of teaching. I have a bachelor's degree in English and journalism from Emporia State University; a master's degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Kansas; and two National Board Certifications in Career and Technical Education. In 2017, I received the honor of the district's "Teacher of the Year" for secondary education. In November of 2018, I was named as a finalist for Kansas Teacher of the Year and traveled across the state of Kansas with the KTOY team for a full year. I am the proud mother of Jersey (12), Journey (10) and Jax (8), and wife of Jason Manhart, Silver Lake native and current school board member. I am a lifelong learner who thrives on deadlines, teaching my students soft skills and technical skills they can take out into the "real world," and stretching myself to tackle new projects and concepts every year.