Principal has a passion to educate

Kathi Lewis
Age: 59
Occupation: Elementary school principal

Where did you receive your education?
Manzano High School, Albuquerque, N.M.; Amarillo College; West Texas State University.

How has your education played a role in your life today?
I have loved school since I was a young girl, and I continue to love being in a school each day. One of my favorite things to do as a principal is to watch teachers teach. It is so amazing to see the learning that takes place in students each day.

What was your greatest educational challenge and how did you overcome it?
I married right after high school, so my greatest challenge was beginning college at 27 and not knowing whether I could be successful. I was one of the oldest students in my classes at Amarillo College. I started slowly by taking one class at a time.

What is the value of your education?
Education has opened the doors to many different opportunities throughout my career.

What would you say to someone who's undecided about continuing their education?
It's like having an insurance policy. It can be very beneficial to have the degrees and certifications. You never know when you might need them. It makes you more marketable and you learn so much along the way.

When did you make education a priority?
Education became really important to me after I reached adulthood and my son struggled so much in school. That's when I knew I wanted to be an educator.

What made you realize the importance of education in your life?
My father always told me it is important to get further education or some kind of training after high school. When I finally realized I wanted to be a teacher, I knew that the only way I could make that happen was to get a degree.

Did you ever think about quitting? What made you keep going?
Once I began the process of working toward a degree and experienced success in my classes, I never considered quitting.