I grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC. As a girl I loved reading; I remember going to the school library one day with my 5th grade class and overhearing my 3rd grade teacher tell one of her students to ask me to suggest a book because “Lisa has read every book in here.” Now, clearly that wasn’t true and I squirmed and blushed, but I was proud. Better than being remembered as the kid who put glue on everyone’s stool in 7th grade art. In middle school and high school, though, I stopped reading as much, but I re-discovered my love for it in college. By some miracle of scheduling, I took an American literature and American history at once, and the proverbial light bulb went off. The relationship between what was happening in the country and the author’s story captured my interest and made me want to keep reading and exploring the world. More importantly, it made me want to create that moment for other kids. After graduating, I taught in Tijuana, then Southern California and Maryland before making my way to Beaver. The committed faculty, the creativity in the classrooms, discussions about great literature, and the excitement of kids having their own “ah-ha” moment as learners all energize me and push me as a teacher.