Editors Note:  This Spotlight is part of the partnership with partnership with the students of CMST210 Interpersonal Communication Winter 2022 class taught by Dr. Karen Alman.  To reinforce what was taught in the classroom, students conducted interviews and submitted the final article.

Growing Up Surrounded by Inspiring Teachers

It's not often we grow up in a home with many people that shape us in our life. As Beverly shares with me who inspired her growing up to become the amazing teacher she is today till this day. For my interview project I was able to personally get to know a beautiful woman by the name of Beverly. Right from the get-go, I found her inspiring and optimistic. She was also very sweet. I had the pleasure to share her narrative. Beverly was born and raised in Wenatchee Washington.  She describes her childhood home as a small farm house near an orchard. Her parents owned a few animals such as horses, chickens and goats. Her mother was a school secretary and her father was a mechanic who later worked for the City of Wenatchee as head of the equipment pool.

It was nice growing up in a farm house she explains. They had no TV or technology to think about, so they would find ways to entertain themselves. Must have been nice to enjoy the outdoors without technology. Her sister and her didn’t always get along growing up (her sister was 5 years older than her). I figured as any siblings would growing up. I myself grew up with a sibling five years older than me and it wasn’t all the time we got along. But as they grew up and had families of their own, they got much closer. Beverly attended Whitman Elementary in Wenatchee Washington. She recalls it is now a bank. Her mom, being the secretary at school, made it nice for them especially when it came to school schedules. Her mom was able to spend more time with her sister and her.

That’s where it all began for Beverly spending time with family was important growing up. She was always grateful her mother had the same schedule as her and her sister that way she was able to spend every holiday, summer and any given day off from school.

She tells of her childhood as very “traditional” and that her and her sister never had any behavior problems. Back in the day where she was raised, she was lucky to have been surrounded by kids, teachers, and a community that was supportive. Most kids as she remembers “listened to their parents and knew what they were supposed to do”. 

Which is one of many reasons she chose to continue picking up after her mom, aunt and uncle who were also teachers. Beverly enjoys working with children and not only that she enjoyed having the same schedule as her 3 kids did when she worked at the schools just like her mother did when she was in school.

I admire the fact the Beverly went back to complete her education 9 years later; she makes me believe that it is never too late to accomplish things in life. When Beverly's teaching journey began, she got her AA degree at Wenatchee Valley College and went on to Central Washington University to get her teaching degree. Back then it wasn’t easy as it is now where colleges and University offer online classes. It used to be where you had to attend class in person. The commute from Wenatchee to Ellensburg must have been long for her.

The first jobs she had were Special ED teacher in Wenatchee and then got her Principals Credentials. She became the principal at Grant Elementary School in East Wenatchee for 12 years. When the position of Assistant Superintendent at Eastmont came open, she applied and was successful.  After 12 years in that position, she retired and has been working as a Reading Consultant for a private company and travels all over the states to deliver Professional Development. A total of 33 years in public education was achieved by Beverly. Props to her not many can overcome that many years in education.

Out of many questions I asked I was curious of course and asked about her spouse she went on and told me how they knew of each other growing up and her family knew of his family and she remembers the specific day they became couple. One day as she hung around the “A&W Drive-in”, her future spouse approached her and asked her out on a date. They dated for about two years and then married. They had three children who all still live in the Valley. She was married for 25 years. Her husband passed away and it affected her children, I can only imagine the pain of a losing a parent, best friend, and husband. That leaves Beverly as a single parent Raising her 3 kids on her own. When I say she is inspiring and the kind of woman I aspire to be I mean the effort and motivation to get back up after losing her loved one to continue and become a teacher and a parent, or as I should say role model to many of us it is astonishing. I can relate to her on being a single parent she is an inspiration to me because being a single parent has its ups and downs but meeting her was an honor.

Not everyone has family professionals growing up by their side every step of the way but what I understood from Beverly is that she is grateful to have had her parents, aunts and uncles and other professionals guide her to where she is today. My parents immigrated from Mexico to the US and worked their entire lives in the agriculture but my siblings and I were grateful enough to attend college and be first generations to complete degrees and give back to our parents who struggle their way but we also live a different and better life.

 A few years back Beverly was announced Alumni of the year, she was proud of herself and was an honor to receive that award. Until this day she continues to help other teachers with their teaching skills and says “it's really interesting and enriching work”. Being part of a scholarship foundation is rewarding she says, it’s a great feeling being able to help students financially so that they can become successful and happy in life. Towards the end of our interview, she says “I am quite the cheerleader of Wenatchee Valley College” it is a great college to attend. In conclusion I am thankful for teachers like Beverly who take the time and dedication to students like me.

By Dulce Ruiz-WVC Student