What is your name and position? My name is Ms. Kent, and I am an English teacher.
Who inspired you to begin pursuing a career in teaching? I’m a teacher because of my dad. My dad was a math teacher for 50 years and coached football and baseball. So I knew I wanted to be a teacher and coach. I also love reading, in general, so I like inspiring kids to read.
How has Niles North been a unique experience for you so far? Niles North has been unique because of the amount of diversity and the attitude students have with truly wanting to learn.
What do you think is the most effective way to get through to a student? Relationships. I think that building relationships with students and getting to know what’s important to them is key. I also think that being responsive to their needs is important, too.
What book do you think has impacted you the most as a person? I think that Into the Wild by John Krakauer really impacted me. It’s about rebelling against societal norms and viewing society through a lens of environmentalism instead of materialism, and I feel like that applies to a lot of life right now.
If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be? I would probably be back in marine biology. That was my first career, and it was definitely memorable. If I weren’t teaching, I would be making no money in marine biology.
How did you get involved in volunteering at shelters? I grew up rescuing animals, and it was definitely a core value of my family. Years ago, I moved to California and studied marine biology. It was then that I volunteered at the Marine Mammal Center, where I rescued seals and sea lions. Also, it was always my family’s point of view to advocate for those that can’t do it themselves.
Which of your dogs represents your personality best? Probably Ophie because she is independent and goofy.
What lesson has volunteering at shelters taught you? I’d probably say that kindness matters, and it makes all the difference. Being kind is free.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why? I would want to fly because I really dislike traffic. I’d rather spend my time getting to know my students rather than stressing about traffic. I’d also want to be able to get here early so I can meet with kids instead of thinking about traffic.
If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be, and why? I would eat guacamole because it’s just so tasty.
