At Lakeside High School, Ms.Owen plays an important role in helping freshmen grow and succeed. As a ninth grader Current issues and civics teacher who works mainly with ESOL students, she supports both inside and outside the classroom. Now in her Seventh year at Lakeside, she recently made the switch from teaching literature to social studies, and she is enjoying the new experience.
Ms. Owen has been teaching for 13 years overall. She started her career in Tennessee, where she is originally from. After getting married, she moved to Atlanta and later to Washington, D.C., where she taught in Fairfax County Public Schools. In 2019, she returned to Atlanta and began teaching at Lakeside.
Ms. Owen’s education helped her pursue this path. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication with a minor in English. Later, she received her teaching license from Lincoln Memorial University and completed her master’s degree through the University of Virginia while living in D.C.
Ms. Owen first discovered her love for teaching while working as a substitute teacher during college. She substituted at her mother’s elementary school and at her former high school. “I just really fell in love with working with kids,” she said. English was always her favorite subject, and she wanted to help students enjoy reading and learning about the world.
In her civics classes, the first semester focuses on helping freshmen adjust to high school. She teaches study skills, time management, and how to feel comfortable in the building. In the second semester, students learn about the American government. One of her favorite parts is she enjoys seeing her students grow, and she loves it when former students come back to share their success stories.
Ms. Owen also explained that caring deeply about students can sometimes feel overwhelming because there are tests, paperwork,and balancing family life, too, but she still works hard every day to support her students. Students may be surprised to learn that she was once a White House intern in 2008, working in the communications office during college. Outside of school, she loves the book Pride and Prejudice and the TV show Friends. She also enjoys listening to Taylor Swift, saying there is, “an album for all the feelings.”
Ms. Owen hopes to continue being a strong voice for her ESOL students and their families. She wants students to understand how what they learn in class connects to real life. Her advice is simple but meaningful: “If you can live your life with love and passion, then you can’t go wrong.”
Through years of teaching in different states and working with students from many backgrounds, Ms.Owen has built a career centered on care and commitment. With her experience, kindness, and strong belief in her students, she continues to shape the Lakeside community in a positive way. Whether she is helping freshmen adjust to high school or encouraging students to follow their passions, she exhibits every day that teaching is more than a job and it is a commitment to helping others grow.
