Mrs. Nichols teaches first grade at JHCA. She loves her work at the Academy, and it shows. "I get to be myself," Mrs. Nichols says. Her students love her, and this shows, too.
Mrs. Nichols also leads Knitting Club. Every week, students join her to knit scarves, hats, and other clothing items.
"What I love about Knitting Club is that we have students of all ages, K-8, that spend time together. Parents join us as well, which is really neat."
Mrs. Nichols finds that good stories occur throughout the year, and some of the best don't come from the curriculum, but from the students themselves.
"When some of the kids - even from other grades - got hurt this year, all of the 1st graders wanted to help. They made cards for their classmates. They found so many ways to serve them. I learn something new from my 1st graders all the time."
"Hope is my favorite word," Mrs. Nichols says, " and to me, to be hopeful means you don't have to have all the right answers, but that you look for the good. I try to instill hope in my students every day."