Again this year, I am concentrating on the quote, Words Have Power, to help teach students and others to be more aware of the words they say and how those words can help or hurt others. We can CHOOSE to be positive!

Many times, vocabulary becomes that thing that students just dread to complete and I want them to be aware of how much fun words can be! For example, blatherskite, kerfuffle, fuubutsushi, and my personal favorite, PETRICHOR, are some of the FAVORITE NEW WORDS that my students have found and brought to class in the last few years. (See below)

I have been teaching at TVHS since 2014. I am an English teacher and am also certified to teach Social Studies classes. I am a 1983 graduate of Whitewood High School and a 1994 magna cum laude graduate of Bluefield College with a B.S. in Social Sciences and Education. I am the wife of Neil Ward and between us, we share five awesome children: Whitley, John, Michael, Tanner, and Hannah. We are also blessed with two children by marriage and also recently became PoppyNeil and Nanalisa to our first grandchild, Gabriella. She's a beauty! We are DOG People and, between our parents and children, are the owners of several doggies!

At TVHS, I enjoy coaching the following in academics:

The Drama Club (teenagers: using their drama for good) Haha! Theatre Competition will be pushed back till April/May...

Forensics (students performing cut pieces of literature) It is a lot of fun! Forensics Competition is in February!

Oral Communications (gifted)

*** Oh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you, the word, PETRICHOR, means the scent in the air when it rains after a long dry spell...Now, do you see why it is my favorite?