Ms. Kittrel is a new 11th grade English teacher here at the Lake, and her passion for teaching has been with her ever since she was younger! “From the time I was in 7th grade, I pretty much knew I wanted to be an English teacher. I liked that ability to be able to explain something I knew about.” Now she wants to teach that brilliant ability to her students and believes that, now more than ever, English and literacy are important subjects to teach. “I think that English does a great job with engaging in major topics that are socially relevant or personally relevant to students in a way that is a little bit more accessible than other subjects. It allows students to explore themselves in ways they may not engage with otherwise!”

The most important skill she believes she teaches is analysis, and in this era where misinformation runs rampant, being able to evaluate what’s true and false is so important, and writing is a gift.

As a new teacher, it often brings worry not knowing how they may feel about their career. Ms. Kittrel reassures everyone, stating, “I really love what I do. I come to school every day and I really enjoy doing it.” Coming into the school, her goal is to feel like she belongs here and in its traditions of Ohana and school spirit.

Ms. Kittrel’s hobbies include cooking (her favorite recipe is Yellow Chicken Coconut Curry) and reading books! While she has too many favorites to list, in the spirit of Halloween, she recommends the works of T. Kingfisher, primarily a thriller author who, Ms. Kittrel thinks, “creates horror in mundane things – perfect for the spooky season!” So if you’re itching to give a new author a shot, give Ms. Kittrel’s recommendation a try!