School is a mishmash of very interesting things. I like all my subjects. I like some more than others and some are more difficult than others. Like, in my history class I can remember all the concepts but I can’t remember a name or a date for the life of me. And classes like English and science, I find those really easy.

In AVID we are working on a cool project. I really like the idea of this. We had to do a personality test. I don’t really like the personality tests because some of these people aren’t actually psychologists. I mean, you can be an introvert or an extrovert in certain places. You can be innovative in one place and not that innovative in another. It changes.

So, we did that test and researched a little into that personality. Of course, I have to do two because I’m right in the middle of two of them. I have…I think it’s ENTP and INTP. Then we had to figure out some jobs that are appealing to those particular people. We had to research those on a job site. After that, we pick a job and then we’re creating a poster and a speech about it.

We had to select three jobs at the least. I had four. One is not exactly a coder…it’s a computer researcher. It’s funny to research something we created and we should know about, but they research possibilities for computers. There’s also a biophysicist and biochemist. I’m really interested in biology. And I also researched chemistry. For my presentation I picked biochemistry and biophysics. I have to figure out what they do and why is it important. But I also have to figure out payment rates, benefits, like healthcare and stuff.

I’ve been really wanting to pursue biology for a long time. I don’t know when I started liking science but my parents are both teachers so that helped a lot. Both my sister and I started with an interest in teaching, of course, but then we branched off into science. Then we branched off into our own pieces; I branched off into biology and she branched off into geology.

Biology started, then I liked zoology. Then I like microbiology. Then I liked, what’s it called…marine microbiology! Then I started to like marine virology. Then I branched off into just virology and I’ve been focusing on that for a while.

Although, of course it could change. I’m only in middle school.

#WeAreVBSchools

I recently decided that I’m going to Virginia Tech for engineering. I was really excited because sophomore year I actually committed for an athletic scholarship for Georgia Tech, but in September it got it taken away due to monetary reasons. The coaches called me one night and said that, after two years of being committed, we don’t have the money for you anymore. It was tough after that just not knowing what I was doing the next four years. It was just like: What do I do now? Then Virginia Tech came along and then the application process and I was very happy that I got in. I’m going to walk on (the baseball team) at Tech.

And you plan to become an engineer?

Yes. This summer I actually have an internship with W.M. Jordan which is a construction engineering company out of Hampton Roads. Hopefully, after each year of college I’ll go back to them and hopefully, after college I will get a job with them and have a career there. I’m excited for that.

#WeAreVBSchools

I like math because you learn different things and you can immediately relate it to your own life. I relate it to football. I’ve been playing since I was 4.

I play other sports. I like learning different things. I like traveling. I’ve gone lots of places for family reunions. I play AAU basketball and I travel a lot of places. We go everywhere. I play baseball and we went to Florida.

I started wrestling this year. I got fifth place in the city championships. My football coach told me to try wrestling because it would help with my football skills and tackling, and I just wanted to do it because I like to stay active.

Have you thought about what you’d like to do when you’re older?

If I don’t make it to the pros, I would like to be a police officer and help people stay safe.

#WeAreVBSchools

I want to be a marine biologist because I really like the ocean and I want to learn about it. I made a project about overfishing and it’s in the hall. I made three posters and I’m still working on it. There are two pictures and there’s a paper to tell people about overfishing.

What do you like doing when you’re not at school?

I like to play outside and draw pictures or play music. I play the ukulele. I’ve played for two years.

#WeAreVBSchools

I’m going through the college decision process. It’s been kind of tough because I was accepted to the University of Virginia, William and Mary, and Virginia Tech, and I’m having a harder time than most of my friends because it’s slowly getting down to the wire where everyone knows where they want to go and you’re the last person who doesn’t. William and Mary is my entire family’s alma mater so I’ve been going there since I was really little, and I didn’t even need to look at the campus because I’ve been there so many times. It was so in my mind that I didn’t even know there were other universities out there. So when I was applying colleges I was like: Wow, there are all these different schools. I visited a bunch and I really liked the University of Virginia. It’s just been kind of difficult to decide where I want to go, especially choosing a major over having all your friends and going to a school where you’re comfortable but you’re not getting outside of your comfort zone. I’m just having to decide between that and that’s kind of where I’m at right now.

When do you have to make your decision?

May 1. I want to study political science/pre-law. My grandfather went to William and Mary and went the pre-law track and went to law school at George Washington, and I want to do almost the exact same thing as him. And after being a defense attorney, he became a judge, which is what I also want to do. So, it’s kind of hard to not just follow his same path and go to a different school. I’m trying to decide between the two of them.

#WeAreVBSchools

I’m a professional ballroom dancer. I have 43 first place medals. I’ve been ballroom dancing for, I’d say, five years. My sister was a ballroom dancer before me and then I got in trouble, so my mom decided to put me in the ballroom class. I ended up loving it! It just lets me express my feelings and creativity through dance. It’s just been a passion of mine since then.

Have you thought about what you’d like to do when you grow up?

Actually, I’m moving to Alaska. I’m moving to a small town – Dillingham, Alaska. It has 2,000 people in it. My high school will have 500 people. I’m moving after this year. My dad got a job there. He’s a dentist.

What I want to be when I grow up is a general surgeon. My family has been in the medical field so I’ve just been surrounded by that. And it’s just been an interest for me since I’ve watched this show, “Grey’s Anatomy,” and I looked more into it – what they do, what their salary is, their duties and drawbacks.

#WeAreVBSchools

I’m in my 29^th year working at Virginia Beach City Public Schools. I have a lot of background and history with VBCPS. I feel like the ‘HQ Answer Man.’

I like being able to give answers – providing our users with the right answer – and if I don’t know the answer I know who to ask to get the answer.

I love volunteering.

I do a lot of work through church with Chesapeake Area Shelter Team (CAST).  We provide meals and a place to sleep for the homeless.  I also coordinate Thanksgiving dinner Meals on Wheels and do that with my family. We serve over 180 meals Thanksgiving morning.

I’m a mentor with the VBCPS Making Waves program.  My mentee is a seventh-grade female at Landstown Middle School.  It’s my third year mentoring her.

I love working for VBCPS and making connections for our customers and Department of Technology teams behind the scenes.

#WeAreVBSchools #WeAreWednesday

I’ve been with School Plant going on three years. I grew up most of my life in Virginia Beach. I was born in Fort Raleigh, Kansas and from there, we went to Baumholder, Germany. When I was entering preschool, we moved to Virginia Beach. I attended Kempsville Meadows then I moved away to West Point Military Academy when my father was stationed in the Army as a Colonel. I was there for two years. When he retired we came back home, lived down in Sandbridge, and I attended Princess Anne Middle and Kellam High School. I met my wife at Kellam High School. She is now a teacher in Chesapeake. We have a son who attends Red Mill Elementary.

I did a little bit of college at Campbell University and I owned my own business – Supercuts Hair Salon. I was an owner franchise for seven years and sold it. I also worked in the collision center at Beach Ford as a manager. I kind of rolled into this. My brother was in the construction business so, on the weekends, I would help him out and I finally got into the construction business. When I sold my business it gave me the opportunity to be a stay-at-home dad for two years, which is really cool. Not too many people can have that opportunity. I got to spend the first two years of my child’s life with him. Then, I knew a guy who worked with the school division and he suggested that I apply. I enjoy it. I love it and I’m still here.

#WeAreVBSchools #WeAreWednesday

I like art in school because I do art at home and everywhere I go. I have markers and crayons and pencils and pens, and I even have them upstairs in my room. And when I’m at school and I’m doing art, I like to help other people do art.

How do you help people with art?

Like, if they did not know how to do art and it was their first day of doing art, I could just, like, tell them how to do art.

Is there something you like to draw?

I like drawing cards for other people.

#WeAreVBSchools

I’m a junior and I play football and basketball here. That’s what I want to do in college and also study sports medicine. My philosophy with that is if I don’t go as far as I want to with football, I’ll still be around the sport or around sports. I have a lot of options right now but I plan on narrowing it down over spring break. I have 11 scholarships. I’m going to narrow it down to five and chose from there, which is kind of tough. Hopefully I’ll make the right choice. And then I get five official visits, so that will also help me decide. I’ll commit before my senior year. I want to get it out of the way.

Have you ever suffered an injury?

Yes…I’ve had a lot. The only time I had to do physical therapy was when I broke my ankle. Physical therapy can be tough sometimes, but it was fun learning as I was doing it. I do ask our trainers a lot of questions. One of my family members does sports medicine, so I kind of pick up and learn from them as much as I can.

#WeAreVBSchools

I just got back from my mission trip with Operation Smile to Paraguay. Operation Smile is an organization that I’ve been involved with since fifth grade with the Final Mile and then I was part of the middle school club at Plaza for the IB program. I’ve been trying to get our club rolling here.

The mission trip to Paraguay was probably in the top three of my life experiences ever. It was amazing! The connection you had with the children’s parents was so strong but you couldn’t even really communicate with them because they spoke a different language; it was all through love and your actions toward taking care of their children. They were basically giving their child to you and putting their trust in you. It was an unbelievable experience.

We were student educators – that was our role on the mission. We had six different health modules that we brought along with us. There was dental hygiene, burn care, oral rehydration therapy, CPR/Heimlich maneuver, nutrition, and handwashing. It was interesting to see their excitement to learn about it. There were local volunteers who live in Paraguay who translated for us. We would speak in English and they would say it in Spanish.

What did you personally learn from the experience?

It did put things in perspective. I get a little worked up about school work or I’ll get stressed about tests and stuff, and it made me feel very relaxed when I came back to school. I was, like, school is important but it is not the only thing in life that’s important. There is a lot more to people’s happiness than people getting good grades and getting into a good college. A lot more comes out of the love you give to people and the love that people give back to you and helping others.

#WeAreVBSchools

I like to read chapter books, like about penguins, and I like to read nonfiction.

What do you like to do at home?  

I like play with my guitar.

What would you like to do when you grow up?

I’d like to go in the Navy. I want to be a soldier.

#WeAreVBSchools

I like math. I like fractions. I like adding and subtracting fractions. It’s just fun. I like numbers – I like everything about math. Decimals. It’s really fun to me to add and subtract them. I tell my friend every day that I can’t wait until math, and I think it really annoys her because I say it every day. We have math after lunch. We have math from 1 until the end of the day.

Do you want to use math in a future career?

I don’t know. I really do like it. I like to draw, too. I like to draw and I like to paint. I want to be an artist when I grow up…and, I also want to be a teacher. My mom said I could be, like, an art teacher.

I like to draw animals and landscapes. I like to draw dogs. They’re fun. And cats. They’re fun. I have a dog. Her name is Roxy. She’s a bulldog. She’s 9 and her birthday is the same as mine – April 14.

I’d say I’m most passionate about helping people. I’ve kind of come to this idea that helping people can be more than just your job. You know, when it comes to doctors and nurses, they physically help people. But when I think about writers, I think they help people…it really shapes people. I’ve read some really incredible literature and met some incredible characters that have either brought out some truths in myself or made a connection.

I think the same thing goes with teachers. I feel like teachers go in knowing that they can help students. They might think that it’s just subjects that they can help them with, but I think they don’t understand they can really help kids. You can really shape a student…give them a guided path. That’s why I always talk about Mrs. Anderson. Everyone knows that I’m her No. 1 fan just because when I first got into high school, I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know where I was going, where I saw myself with college, and with classes and everything. When I met her, she was so passionate about her job that it kind of led me to realize my own passions and to pursue them and to really work at them. I’ve always had my parents to be that guide but to have somebody outside of my house…you know, I go to school five days a week and to have somebody there that you can go to, ask questions, talk to, it really just was amazing to me. So I really credit her with making me think and make those decisions that I wasn’t so sure about, and just, kind of, established me as a person, I’d say.

The same goes with some other teachers that have really put me on this path and introduced me to so many things. Last year, my history teacher, Ms. Roach, told me about our Student Advisory Board at the school. I heard about it over the announcements but I really never thought about doing it. But her telling me, “I think this would be really good for you. I think you would be really good at this,” – her going out of her way, it was encouraging.  And then Ms. Hurst this year and telling me about this program, Official for a Day. I’d never heard of it.

When I think about our teachers, I feel like so many of them are really incredible. Whenever I’m in Ms. Hurst’s class – she has a little “Weekend Update” – and, so no matter what class she has, she will take those 10 minutes just to really…care. She will stop for second, reflect and just be like, “What are you guys up to?” It is just something so easy and quick that’s just nice. It makes the classroom so comfortable. With her, she’s one of those teachers you could confide in and she would understand you and she would just talk to you. She’s kind of been like this little spirit, this light in my day that I appreciate so much.

Kind of going back to my idea of helping people…I think there are a lot of ways that you can help people, and I like that a lot. Even other careers…musicians, artists, painters, writers, directors, even athletes for some people – I think it’s important for other people to find that passion, to find that person that can help them.

#WeAreVBSchools

I’m a maintenance supervisor with the school division.

I have two children – an 11-year-old son and a 7-year-old son. I coach my 7-year-old son in basketball and soccer. It’s pretty much what we do. We do a lot of sports and a lot of stuff with kids. That’s my passion. I like coaching little kids and helping them grow. I do it on the weekends.

 How did you get involved in coaching?

I kind of got roped into soccer. Virginia Rush Soccer didn’t have enough coaches so they needed parents or they were going to have to dissolve teams, and I didn’t want the kids to not be able to play. So I volunteered to coach and I was having so much fun I just kept doing it, and now I’ve been doing it for four years.

#WeAreVBSchools #WeAreWednesday

I’ve worked with VB Schools for five years. Prior to that I worked at a culinary institute: Johnson and Wales Culinary Institute in Norfolk. I was the assistant to the chefs and to the director of culinary. I worked there for almost 10 years. I worked with their curriculum, visiting chefs and events. I learned about the culinary aspect. And actually working here now, I’ve come across many students and teachers that I’ve worked with in the past.

 What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

I’m a hockey fanatic. I watch the Capitals play all the time. I was a season ticket holder for many years. I enjoy hockey a lot. It’s a fun game. The fans are awesome. The players are awesome. I really enjoy it.

#WeAreVBSchools #WeAreWednesday

Usually in spring and fall I like to do softball, which is my favorite sport. In the winter I hang out with my friends and family. I play for Courthouse. I’m on the Dolphins team. I play first, second, or right field. I’ve played for six or seven seasons. Two seasons equal a year so I’ve been playing since I was 6 or 7.

Are there other sports that you like?

I like to watch football with my family. My favorite team is the Patriots.

#WeAreVBSchools

My favorite subject is math. My dad teaches me some math before I even go to that grade, like multiplication.

What do you like to do at home?

At home I like to do some jump roping.

I can probably jump rope up to, like, 16, but sometimes it gets tangled in the furniture so I can’t do that much. And I like to draw at my house. I like to draw dogs and I like to draw bunnies and I like to draw anything cute.

Have you thought about what kind of job you might want to have when you grow up?

I might want to be a teacher so I can do fun activities. I want to teach them math and maybe some science.

#WeAreVBSchools

What I really like about school is reading. I really just love reading. I take books to lunch. I like going to the library. I like every subject but the only thing I really don’t like is writing. Besides that, I really like everything else.

What do you like to do when you’re not at school?

I enjoy, of course, playing video games, but I also enjoy playing outside because I really like football and basketball. I have a lot friends where I live that I can play with.

Have you thought about what you want to do when you get older?

There are lots of things! I think my top things would either be a professional athlete or a teacher, because I really just like to talk to kids and be able to teach them stuff – not even just about academics but about life, too. Those are the two main things I think about.

What would you like to teach?

I feel like I’d want to teach sixth-graders and I’d want to teach them social studies. I like learning about history and how people and civilizations have grown.

#WeAreVBSchools

When I was walking to put away my paper that I colored, I was wiggling my tooth and it falled out, and I went to the nurse and she was so excited.

What do you like best about school?

I like station 12 and station 13 because you get to color there and read to a person your paper and what you said.

What do you like to do when you’re not at school?

Swim in my pool in the summer. And, we’re going on vacation in the summer. It is, like, this big boat and there is a swimming pool and a hot tub and a slide, and there is this little thing that pops out but it doesn’t pop out in the ocean.

#WeAreVBSchools

My favorite subject is science. I like different things about science. I like rocks, volcanoes, the ocean, the human body, molecules. I love research. My favorite TV show is “Wild Kratts.” It’s also about science. They teach you about animals. It’s a science fiction show.

#WeAreVBSchools

I like to learn and I like to read chapter books.

What do you like to do when you’re not at school?

Play on my iPad all day long.

Have you thought about what kind of job you want to have when you get older?

Yes. I want to be a nurse so I can help people.

#WeAreVBSchools

I love the ever-changing aspect of technology. Some people hate change. I love it.

It’s fun to be a part of the new things that we get to share with the students. Even though we’re not in the classrooms we are impacting them with new technology that we vet and test.

Technology – it’s such an impact. Having a device for every student is such an impact. Having Promethean boards in our classrooms is such an impact. But really, we’re just a small piece in the students’ learning environment. Technology is really just a tool.

The best thing about the device expansion program is that the teachers don’t have to worry about if the technology is available. It’s available, and they can do what they need to do.

#WeAreVBSchools

I was in the cafeteria working and assisting the kids and a student brought a kindness note to me. I thought, “This is sharp,” and told him how much I appreciated it. The note said, “Thank you for always making everybody smile and always cleaning everything.”

It was just touching because it was a student who recognized what I do. He told me that he like how I smiled. He told me that he’d never seen anything like it – cleaning up and just smiling.

Were you surprised when you received the kindness note?

No, I wasn’t, because a lot of kids will stop me going down the hall when they are going to different classes – and I try not to interrupt when they are with teachers, but they will say, “Hi, Mr. Ike. How are you doing?” You just can’t buy that.

When I was at Landstown Elementary, the students wrote some nice letters when I was leaving. I had never seen anything like it. So I kept them in a binder and I look at that today and think this is great and unbelievable that I can make kids smile. If you can touch their heart and make them feel appreciated, it’s a great feeling.

If you were to say students anything about kindness what would it be?

I would say, just wake up with a smile on your face and just come in and go for 100 percent of a good day. If you keep a smiling face, good will come from that.

I like math and reading. I like math because I need help in math and it’s really better when I learn about it more. And, I like reading because I don’t really read fast like other kids; I read slow so I can take my time.

When I’m not at school I like to go outside and play football with my friends. Sometimes I just play baseball and sometimes my friends want me to do gymnastics, like a cartwheel.

Have you thought about what you might like to be when you grow up?

I might be a doctor or in the Navy or be a zookeeper. A doctor because I like helping people. It’s a nice thing to do because just imagine if you were an older lady and you were in the hospital. They would help you. I want to be in the Navy to help our country from the other bad guys. And, if you are a zookeeper, you get to see all the animals that you’ve never seen before in your life, like a rhino, elephants…I could probably see some reptiles, like a lizard.

Is there anything else we should know about you?

I kind of like salad…and potatoes and apples. Every fruit that you can think of, I like.

#WeAreVBSchools

I really like language arts. I really like reading and I feel like I get more into reading than I do other subjects. I just feel like, for me, it’s easier for me to comprehend when I’m reading a book than when I’m looking at math problem or something.

My favorite author is Kate DiCamillo. We have some of her books in the library, and I think my favorite book of hers is “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.” It makes you think, and I like feeling what the character feels. I feel like it has a lot of emotion in it.

I was on a Battle of the Books team with four other people and we did really well. We worked really well together, and I feel like we all kind of enjoyed reading the books that we had to read for it. Our librarian did a really good job of helping us get ready for competitions.

Have you thought about what you want to be when you grow up?

I don’t really have anything particular I want to do. With our guidance counselor, we went over the middle and high school stuff, and I was really interested in the legal program at one of the high schools. My friends all said, “You’d be a great lawyer.” Because, I mean, I can argue if I have to. But, really, I haven’t thought about it all that much. I’m more focused on this year and going to middle school and all of that.

#WeAreVBSchools

I like to learn new things. I like doing social studies. I like learning about other countries. I also like learning about science. I like exercising and running and doing stuff like that because I’m very energetic.

I want to become a humanitarian dentist, but that’s not all. I also want to help the poor and fly around the world. I also want to make my own company. It is going to be a nice place and we’re not going to charge people very much to get what they need to have. Besides, what they need is what matters more. I’m going to take on the most serious problems.

The reason I want to be a dentist is that I want to help other people and I just thought it allows me to be me. It makes me feel happy and it also makes me feel free. I want to help other people and I just want to do it in a way that allows me to feel and be myself.

#WeAreVBSchools

I like reading books, and my mom is teaching me how to read some chapter books. I like to play the Wii at my house and play Atari.

Do you have a favorite Atari game?

I like that space game.

Space Invaders?

Yes!

Have you thought about what kind of job you want to have when you get older?

I want to be a gardener. I like planting plants, digging and putting seeds down in the ground. They grow when there’s water and sun.

#WeAreVBSchools

I’ll probably be an Uber driver because I could take people places and explore other places, and I get money.

My favorite place is probably Florida because it’s nice and warm there, and I’ve been to it. The hotel was very nice. When you are gone, there are hotel cleaners that clean your room, and you get a safe and a refrigerator. We went to Disney World. My favorite part was probably the teacups because I got to spin in it and my mom was so scared. Also we went on a ride that just goes around in a circle and upside down. I like upside down rides; my mom doesn’t. She went on one before and she didn’t like it. She screamed and I was laughing so hard.

#WeAreVBSchools

What I like best about school is that we get to read, and I like learning.

What do you like to do when you’re not at school?

Play “Just Dance” when I’m at home.

Do you have a favorite dance?

Yes. My favorite is…all of them!

Have you thought about what you want to be when you grow up?

Kind of. I want to be a leprechaun catcher…only if that’s a real job.

#WeAreVBSchools

I worked in TV/radio in my first life and something was just missing. When I was thinking about becoming a career switcher I had the opportunity to work at Central Academy when it had the ropes course program. So I wasn’t a counselor; I wasn’t a teacher; I just had the background with rock climbing and playing. What I found was that I was passionate about giving students the opportunity to practice and learn the things that are outside of the classroom, that our best teachers incorporate but don’t always have time to make the focus. I thought about going into teaching but there was nothing that I was as passionate about as the life lessons and the life skills.

I love – when things are slow on the paper and email front – that that’s really what we’re here for, to give them opportunities to just figure out who they are and practice those skills that are going to make or break how successful they are in relationships and in the workplace and in adjusting and coping to all that’s to come.

Every day is different. I love that every day is different. And I get to see the best of the kids. Even though I have them at their worst sometimes, like when they’re really upset or really sad or depressed or even suicidal at times, I get to highlight their strengths and I get the time to just focus on what they are doing well and doing right. So much of what we do is one-to-one to get to know my kids. When we are in the large-group settings it’s usually just information-driven. When they’re right there and they’re with me I get a chance to get to know them and figure out how to best support them. It’s just really cool. I get to see the best of what’s to come.

I love that I’m back at Kellam. I’m an alumna. We’re really tied to our community. I grew up in Sandbridge. We’re big beach people – really outdoors people. We ventured out to Pungo on purpose. We wanted space to run and to ride ATVs and things like that. I just have the best kids and my husband’s phenomenal. We just have fun together.

We see students at the grocery store, at the beach and at Ocean Breeze, but I feel like it’s even more of a connection because my kids will come here. Everything we do is for the kids and to make the school great. Dr. Smith and I both say that: his kids will come here; my kids will come here; and what kind of school do we want for them?

#WeAreVBSchools