For Hames, connections are key

“What I enjoy most is making connections with students,” said teacher Jessica Hames, one of West Florence’s modern world history teachers.

Growing up, Hames was surrounded with family educators who inspired her to start her teaching career. Hames also looked up to her history teacher who made her decide to teach modern world history.

“One day I went to my history class and my history teacher wrote all the notes on the board and I knew I wanted to teach history,” she said.

Hames likes going back to history to see how interesting it was back then. Not only does she love teaching history but loves making connections with her students. She also enjoys seeing that her students are interested in a topic and try to know more about it.

Hames said she starts her day with trying to get everything ready for the class and getting her thoughts together for the day.

“I want to get everything prepared for the morning, then I start to get mentally ready for the day,” she said.

Hames said she is sometimes afraid of not doing enough and even over analyzing things. But she tries to make sure that students are filled with some history but with her own twist to it to make it fun.

Hames is always looking forward to helping, even when it comes to her future.

“In the future I see myself finishing my graduate degree and being a school counselor to help students and make connections,” she said