Photo courtesy of Chris Cooper.
Homewood High School band staff, from left, Terrance Cobb, Mackenzie Owens, William Clay, Chris Cooper and Ryan Murrell during a St. Patrick’s Day parade reception by the Irish Tourism Board honoring all of the U.S. bands participating in the 2024 parade in Dublin, Ireland, while attending the Midwest Band Clinic in December 2023.
Q: What inspired you to become an educator?
A: My teachers, mainly my band directors who were always there for me, who saw me for more than just who I was. They were always there for me, and they always knew that I could do more than what I ever did.
Q: How long have you been a teacher?
A: I’ve been teaching for 12 years.
Q: Tell us about your favorite teacher from when you were in school.
A: It was my band directors, Ron Pence and Chris Cooper. Ron would always do what he could to make sure everybody was OK, and Chris always brought so much energy. It was just hard not to smile when they were both together in the room. It just made class and everything that we did so much fun.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of being a teacher?
A: Having the opportunity to give the students the same opportunities that I had back when I was a student here at Homewood. Homewood is a special place, and not every school has the type of teachers and resources that we do here. And if I can do anything to make the students’ lives better, I will do that.
