For her creativity, selflessness, and ability to reach students who need it most when they need it most, the May Employee of the Month is art teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Myer. Thank you for adding beauty to our little corner of the world!

After being named Employee of the Month, we sat down with Mrs. Myer and asked her a few questions about her experience teaching here at Midlothian High School.

How do you feel about being Employee of the Month?

It is an honor to be recognized by my peers and the administrative team as a talented teacher. I am still so shocked by the recognition. When it was being presented, I honestly thought one of my visual art co-workers was going to get it.

If you could give only one piece of advice to your students, what would it be?

Some people believe that their ideas are not worth exploring and that they have been done before, or that someone else would do it better, so why even try. I don’t believe this. We all have our own visual language and sense of the world, the visual that is worth investigating and sharing. An act as simple as getting dressed in the morning can be a creative act and change the course of your life.

What is your favorite part about teaching here at Midlo?

It is great place for an artist to teach. The tradition of making things and teaching is a part of the tradition of this community. I feel inspired by the interactions I have with students and faculty. This community values art.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a teacher?  

Here are my favorite things:  Hugging seniors as they have just gotten their diplomas, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, singing to my students, messing up my clothes, When any student asks if they can do more than is asked of the assignment, getting thank you letters, being with my students while they are experiencing the personal reward of making art.

How long have you wanted to be a teacher? Is this what you saw yourself doing when you were in high school?

I am very shy and struggle with public speaking. I always knew that I wanted to make a living in the arts but did not think it would ever be teaching. I kept finding myself in these situations in which I was demonstrating something and a group of people was gathered around me, so I got over my fear pretty quickly.