A Blanket High School and Howard Payne University graduate, Amanda Elkins is a now 28-year teaching veteran with stops throughout Brown County, though Early High School has been home for the last 17 years.
“I have always loved working with children, and what better way to reach them than to teach them?” Elkins said.
Her journey as an educator began in 1998 with stints at Blanket, May, and Brownwood Head Start before arriving in Early.
“I teach Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) with a focus on Human Services, while also co-sponsoring our FCCLA and PALS programs,” Elkins said. “Teaching FCS allows me to equip students with practical skills to help them succeed beyond high school.”
Reflecting on her time as a student, Elkins said, “Many high school teachers shaped who I am today. Mrs. Pat Lewellen sparked my love of reading, Mrs. Sharon Bundick fostered my computer skills, and Mrs. Connie Sliger developed my interest in FCS, the subject I teach today. Nearest to my heart, my basketball coach Mrs. Connie Teal taught me invaluable life lessons—along with as much chemistry as she could—and continues to be a trusted mentor today.”
Asked the most rewarding aspect of her job as an educator, Elkins replied, “I love watching students acquire real-life skills—like personal finance, nutrition, and child development—that prepare them for independent adulthood. Since students choose to take my classes, we often form deep connections, and I feel incredibly blessed to teach some of the best students out there.”
When it comes to what is most overlooked about the teaching profession, Elkins said, “People see the lesson plans and grading, but they often miss that educators also serve as counselors, motivators, and safety nets. Teachers invest immense emotional energy into ensuring every child feels safe and seen. It is this quiet, unmeasured work, never captured by a standardized test, that makes a teacher truly impactful.”
Looking ahead to the future of teaching, Elkins said, “Education is shifting from strict memorization to teaching students how to adapt and solve authentic problems. It is exciting that through hands-on projects, our classrooms are becoming a launchpad for real life.”
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BrownwoodNews.com will highlight one Brown County educator per day in the month of July, based on nominations received on our Facebook page, for our Teacher Feature series.