Roanoke, Va. – She spends a good part of her day ”making literature come alive” at Cave Spring High School. This week, we helped pen a chapter in English and Journalism teacher Chrystal Shawn’s story by naming her the recipient of January’s Education Impact Award.
Chrystal has been making literature leap off the page for the better part of two decades in Roanoke County schools. Her creativity knows no bounds, and her classroom success doesn’t either.
“I’m going to really try to find a way to make it as enjoyable as possible. If that’s teaching ‘Wuthering Heights’ like it’s a soap opera or making them get up and count out rhythms and do rhyme schemes certain ways—as long as they have a little bit of enjoyment, that’s my goal,” Ms. Shawn explains.
“We read through the nominations, and we look at them very closely and we’re looking for the story and she’s a storyteller, right? That was even said about her. She’s teaching the kids how to be storytellers and be able to put it in writing,” Blue Eagle Credit Union Chief Talent Officer Diane Smith says.
Cave Spring Principal Haley Deeds had a vision for journalism at the home of the Knights when she took the helm more than three years ago. Chrystal has helped feed that vision, and it has evolved into a multimedia presentation called ‘Knightly News.’
“We sat down, and I shared the vision I had for the journalism program to go more digital, to go streaming, to have the students interview new teachers, highlight things happening—what we have going on too. To really make it personal to them and to ignite a passion, and so Ms. Shawn jumped right on board with that,” Deeds says.
Blue Eagle Credit Union awards $250 to both Chrystal and Cave Spring High. Her students are rewarded with skills that carry far beyond the Cave Spring walls.
“That’s the biggest love for me is when they’re done here they’re not just closing it off. They’re able to take what they learned and it helps them,” Shawn says.
Chrystal credits Northside High School advanced English and Literature teacher Martha Moseley as the inspiration behind her career. She described her journalism elective class as chaotic and creative, among other things. Our staff at WSLS 10 can certainly relate!