A cheerful smile on her face, Ms. Keck stands beside her door, waving at students as they pass her with happy greetings in the hallway. She welcomes them into her classroom, some slightly newer faces, but some from the past as well. Having moved to Wilde Lake from Harper’s Choice Middle, Ms. Keck is a friendly familiar face always excited to teach.

After working at Harper’s Choice for the first six years of her teaching career, Ms. Keck felt like it was time for a change. “I’ve always wanted to teach high school,” she says, “…and I didn’t want to leave the community, because I love my students and their families.”

Growing up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Ms. Keck found that school was a safe haven for her. Though her older siblings didn’t have the same positive experiences with school that she did, she took note of that, and used it to become a teacher that provides a comfortable and supportive experience for kids. She says, “I’ve always loved reading and writing, and how it can teach you about people from different backgrounds, giving them a better understanding of one another.”

Ms. Keck loves to have discussions with her students, whether it be about something they’ve learned in class, a book they read in their free time, or even just how they’ve been doing day-to-day. She loves to give them a chance to contribute their own ideas, and notices that teachers might even surprise themselves with what they can learn from their students. “I love building relationships with students, and seeing them grow over the years,” she says.

Junior Maddy Feldwick is currently in Ms. Keck’s English class, but also had her as a teacher back in eighth grade at Harper’s Choice. “Ms. Keck has changed my life by being an adult I know I can always go to whenever I need her,” she says. “She’s so understanding and loving to everyone, and I can’t thank her enough.”

Reuniting with students she’s taught in the past, and meeting new ones is one of Ms. Keck’s favorite parts of being at The Lake, finding it to be a truly wonderful environment so far. “I just love Wilde Lake’s spirit, and all of the excitement and energy that comes with it,” she says. “Being a part of this community is such a privilege, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”