Why does one usually become a teacher? And more importantly, what leads them to the decision to become one?

Whether it be the second grade teacher every kid loved and cherished, or the seventh grade science teacher that only a select few found worthwhile of their time or appreciative of their teaching skills, every teacher has a reason.  

Kathryn Holk has been an english teacher at Centennial High School for the past half decade, and eventually has future ambitions to retire from here when the time comes.

Born in Clackamas County and raised in Sandy, Oregon the majority of her life, Holk has had intentions on becoming a teacher ever since she was an adolescent, when her biology teacher in high school-who was also her track coach-had high expectations for her during freshman year.

“Freshman year, [he] believed that I could do it,” she stated. “I could be in varsity track, I could get high grades, I could be able to graduate high school.”

When given the option to teach any topic or subject at school, Holk made the resolute decision on being an english teacher rather than choosing to educate students on math, science, or any other subject.

“My brain doesn’t get math and numbers the same that way I get words,” Holk said.  

“She has energy,” Joshua Koshuba, a freshman from her 10th period English class, said, “She has the will to teach to the best of her abilities. The kind of will that lasts.”

Ever since she has been working here, Holk has had a goal of being able to be more open with her students and be able to help them as individuals, as proven by when she responded that while working here at CHS, she has been inspired, “by [Phil] Huff because he’s always able to be more transparent and more honest with his students.”

Karina Alvarez-Farfan, a student of Holk’s 9th period English class has also added to the claim of Holk wanting to understand her students more by saying, “Ms. Holk is a very understanding person; she helps you when you don’t understand something. She gives really good feedback on our writing. And lastly, she understands that not everything is easy for everyone and that everyone is at a different place.”

When asked if there was one thing that she could change about the school, Holk’s reply was, “I would want more collaboration between teachers. More conversations and meetings between what we could do to be able to do to help students meet their individual goals and needs.”