As you step foot into the classroom, whimsical lights hung across the walls brighten up the dimmed room. On her desk, frames surround her with pictures of her family and pets. With students in every seat, fingers move quickly across keyboards as laughter fills up the room.
New to the school, Maggie King is an AP environmental science and earth systems teacher. She was previously a student teacher at Vandegrift for the agriculture department, working for floral design and welding. Living in Buda, King now drives one hour every day.
“The opportunity was the best,” King said. “The benefits, the pay and I just heard really great things about the admin and the students. I was also really excited to teach APES and earth science, so definitely a good gig.”
The environment has been a long time passion of King, where she integrates real-life applications such as solar panels into her lessons. With spring rolling in, she is preparing to plant tomatoes, squash, cucumber, parsley and mint.
“My mom always did [gardening], and I just always knew that I wanted to do plants,” King said. “I went to school for my undergrad to study horticulture and did more plant stuff there, worked in plant nurseries along the way, and I never left.”
King started fostering a year ago, after her family friend’s kids needed a place to stay. She believes that fostering has allowed her to connect more to her students.
“I would have considered myself patient before, but I think that definitely made me that way,” King said. “Not just with the kids, but dealing with all the other people surrounding that. It changed me so much. I think just picturing them, the foster kids, as my students, cause they’re about the same age, it’s crazy, there’s just so much love there.”