Carolyn Cottrill, a science teacher from the East Coast, moved to Colorado and now teaches at Mead.
Teacher Feature: Ms. Cottrill
The MHS science department is happy to have Ms. Cottrill as a new teacher
Ms. Carolyn Cottrill is a new teacher at Mead High School this year. She teaches science courses.
She was offered the job last spring and interviewed with some of her now colleagues, Ms. Shannon Krack, as well as with Assistant Principal Mr. Alain Valette.
Cottrill said, “They were really awesome, friendly, and welcoming… There’s a lot of community between the teachers and the administrators, [they’re] all working together to do their best for the kids.”
Cottrill originally wanted to be a doctor. She majored in chemistry and graduated from Columbia University with a medical degree. But after doing some research with patients, she decided that the medical route wasn’t the right career choice for her.
She stayed home with her children for about 15 years and when she wanted to go back to work, she chose to become a teacher because she was “really involved with her kids’ education and had a good background in science”.
She got her teaching certificate in 2009 and has been teaching ever since. Before Mead, she taught at a public school in New Jersey for 11 years called Watchung Hills Regional High School.
Being at Mead High for a couple months now, Cottrill said, “I’ve enjoyed getting to know the students. I also teach an AP class here, so I’m really looking forward to getting to that AP exam and seeing how my students do because they have been working really hard.”
Cottrill spoke on her time at Mead so far and said, “[This] school is smaller than the one I used to teach at, but there’s some really neat traditions.”
She added that she has some seniors in her classes, and she is “excited to see what [Mead does] for graduation”.
A miraculous sunset
A soft orange painted the sky, reminding me of the summer days gone by. The beating sun poured heat onto my back like a fresh coat of paint on a newly built house. The warm colors of summer swiftly danced as far as the eye could see. The timeless summer was coming to an abrupt end.
Slowly riding my bike down a narrow sidewalk lined with extravagant green and yellow trees, a cool breeze was slowly drying away the sweat trickling down from my forehead. I slowly stopped at the bottom of a monstrous hill, calling my name, begging to be conquered. As I was riding, my muscles were aching, and my hands started to blister from the handlebars. It didn’t phase me as I continued fighting up the hill. A driving force inside of me craved to see the mesmerizing work of art overlooking the top. I finally reached the top as dark green grass swayed back and forth in a rhythmic pattern; the eternal red and orange hues filled my body with warmth. A titanic wave of bliss and peace drowned out any negative feelings I had.
Something in me changed that fateful evening, something had clicked. No longer was I burdened by the weight on my shoulders. I felt reborn in a sense. The motivation and hope created by that sunset inspired me in a way nothing else ever has. I felt free from all the doubts and self-inflicted problems that I faced. Nothing could stop me from changing. This experience was and still is a pivotal moment in the development of my character. No more was I faced with issues from my past, I was focused and determined to move forward at all costs.
I felt free for the first time in my life.
Kadin Lengner is a senior. They enjoy working out at the gym, hanging out with friends, and taking showers. They are looking forward to working on the podcast this year and writing album reviews.