What are some of your favorite memories from your time at the DuBois Area School District?
Many memories pop up from DASD! The friends I made and the staff I met have been great people. DASD always has been a quality atmosphere forming each student to be the best person they can be. I always enjoyed the clubs and sports I was involved with as well. The creative clubs & activities in DASD got us students involved which led to many of us being in various career fields later in life such as education, business, government, medical, fire/EMS/police, & construction just to name a few.
Were there any teachers, coaches, or classes that had a lasting impact on you?
Mrs. Bash & Mrs. Bailey: In elementary school I had both of them as teachers at CG Johnson. Both are very caring & understanding. They always put us students first, cared about our wellbeing & showed support to students when they were going through hard times outside of school.
Mrs. Roush: I had Mrs. Roush in middle school as a math teacher. Like many others, I struggled with math at times. Mrs. Roush was the first teacher I had who could explain & teach math concepts the proper way where we all understood it. If we did not understand, she would not move on until we all had a deep understanding of it. I learned a lot in her class and did not struggle as bad after having her.
Mrs. Snyder: Mrs. Snyder hands down one of the best teachers I had. Truly one of the best in DASD! She was my 9th grade math teacher in high school. Mrs. Snyder was another one who could teach all of us regardless of what areas we all struggled in & she would not move on until we all could demonstrate we knew how to complete the math without issues. Outside of math classes, she always cared about her students, how we were doing in life & sports, and she always had a great, humorous personality that I loved.
Ms. McLaughlin: One who needs no introduction as she has been a pillar at DASD for many years! She was one of my high school English teachers who always had a positive personality towards her students. She treated us like her own kids & had no problem correcting us or giving us life advice, which we needed at that age! Her involvement in school, community, & her career shows the values of DASD.
Mr. McClelland & Mr. Green: I had both of these gentlemen in high school. Both of them taught the values of accountability, hard work, respect, & integrity. Today's world needs more people like these guys as society needs more education on accountability, respect, & integrity.
What activities, clubs, or sports were you involved in as a student?
From elementary to high school I was involved with soccer, basketball, football, wrestling & rifle.
Tell us about your current career or professional role. What does a typical day look like for you?
I am an operations manager at WM. Each day is different which makes it unique! I manage roughly 35 employees out of my office. I ensure routes are completed each day, work with our maintenance department to ensure our equipment is maintained and top notch, complete OSHA/EPA/DEP/DOT forms yearly, complete OSHA safety trainings with employees weekly, resolve customer disputes, help with sales/onboarding of new and current customers, & work with various municipalities/our public sector department through waste contracts.
What led you to pursue this career path?
After graduation, I started at WM as a welder part time while going to college for Business Management. After college, I was selected to enroll in the WM operations management trainee program. For a year and a half, I traveled all over this great country learning the ropes of the industry & how to be a professional manager.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
What I find rewarding is the respect my employees have towards me & the hard work they complete each day. It starts with a manager respecting their employees & giving the employees the resources they need to succeed.
Have you received any recognitions, awards, or achieved milestones you're especially proud of?
I received rank of Eagle Scout (Class of 2017), Eagle Scout mentor (3 times), PSP Camp Cadet graduate, student of the month (in middle school, high school, & college) & many more various recognitions/awards.
How did your experiences at the DuBois Area School District help prepare you for your career or further education?
The DASD motto “Teaching today's learners to be tomorrow's leaders” sums up how I got to where I am. The educators I had in school helped me develop as a successful student which helped prepare me for a successful life in my career. Through education at DASD, respect, hard work, & putting in the time/determination, I got to where I am today which is just the beginning. Anything is possible when you have the determination and drive to accomplish it!
If you could go back to high school, what goal-setting advice do you wish someone had given you?
“Do not rush goals, give it time.” I found myself at times wishing I was ahead with what I wanted & where I wanted to be at. I have accomplished some of my goals with time & patience over the last couple of years. The Class of 2019 is still young & we have years to accomplish various goals we all want to succeed in. Do not give up, it will come with time!
How do you define success, and how has that definition evolved over time?
My definition of success is "The aim towards an accomplishment with purpose". We all want to succeed in various tasks, but this starts with having a purpose & aim towards a goal, putting in the drive & hard work to accomplish it. Once it is accomplished, we have been successful in our mission. After all, if we cannot aim towards a goal and cannot think of the purpose we are looking for behind it, will it really be successful?
What skills or habits do you believe are most important for students to develop while they're in school?
Develop clear communication skills (not by cell phones, speak to others in public). Develop strong respect towards yourself & others. Develop a pattern/system where you can prioritize tasks & complete them on time. Do not be afraid to get involved. Join a club or sport at school, volunteer for various after school activities. Volunteerism is lacking in today's society. We need more quality people to get involved & help out. Volunteering for DASD will help you develop volunteerism for your community outside of school.
How do you stay connected to the DuBois Area School District community or give back to others?
I have been involved with the DASD community since I graduated! I have been involved with the Boy Scouts of America/Bucktail Council for many years. I am an active member at Reynoldsville Fire Department & JE DuBois Hose Co #3. I serve on the Reynoldsville borough council as President, borough liaison for the Reynoldsville Pool, & a board member for the Jefferson County Planning Commission. I am also active with many other organizations & committees throughout my town as well as Jefferson & Clearfield counties where we give back to our communities & help out where it is needed.