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During her nine years as a Cedar Hill ISD student, Samantha Hernandez was strongly influenced by several of her teachers.

It’s a large part of the reason why the Cedar Hill High School Class of 2019 Graduate decided to join the District as a High Pointe Elementary Art Teacher last summer.

“Pieces of my teaching style and the way I interact with my students are heavily inspired by those teachers,” Hernandez said. “They each had something so unique that they brought to the classroom but what stands out in all of them is their kindness, their passion for what they do, and how they shared it with their students.”

Among those current and former CHISD educators are Bethany Kennedy (the 2021-2022 CHISD Secondary Teacher of the Year), CHHS Mathematics Teacher Jonathan Arrington, CHHS Chemistry Teacher Michael McKinney, Plummer Music Teacher Elaine Williams, former CHISD Teacher of the Year JoLynn Maddox, former Permenter Music Teacher Colton Blake, former CHHS Choir Teacher Christopher Rhodes, and former CHHS Assistant Theatre Director Christopher Long.

It was actually Kennedy, who encouraged Hernandez to apply for the open position at HPE.

“What most intrigued me was when she mentioned HPE was looking for a Theatre program,” Hernandez said. “I immediately knew God was working on a new adventure for me.”

Up until that point, Hernandez had been teaching elementary math & science in another district.

 

“I was desperately missing my craft and the art of storytelling that theater brought into my life,” Hernandez said. “When the opportunity presented itself, I knew that it was time for me to pick it all back up again and share my love of theatre with the next generation of students.”

As an elementary art teacher, Kennedy enjoys working with students to help them express their creativity.

“(In addition), I get to collaborate with an incredibly talented group of fine arts teachers,” Hernandez said.

In addition to her regular responsibilities as HPE’s Art Teacher, Hernandez – a University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance Graduate – also oversees the campus’ after-school theatre program.

The 15 members of that troupe are working on “A Pirate Christmas,” which they will perform as part of HPE’s holiday program on December 15.

“I have structured the after school theatre program using my professional theatre experience in conjunction with how I experienced Theatre in CHISD,” said Hernandez, who is currently working on her certification to teacher Theatre.