Larra Townsend
Saint Leo University
BA Elementary Education
Endorsement in Reading and ESOL
American Public University
MA Humanities
Tell us about your family.
I was adopted by my grandmother when I was just one year old, and through this adoption, God put me in the loving arms of a Christian family. My grandmother taught me about Jesus. She and I are very close; I still consider her my best friend.
Why did you become a teacher?
As a senior in high school, I had been praying for direction and guidance for my future. At one point, I thought I would pursue a career in the medical field, but I realized that wasn't for me. I had always loved learning and was inspired by several of my middle and high school teachers. When my pastor's wife asked me to teach Sunday School, I knew that was God's confirmation to follow in that path. Teaching is the perfect job for me.
Tell us about a memorable adventure you have experienced.
As a young girl, I developed a passion for the country of Spain. When I was 13, I had a pen pal who lived in Spain, and this relationship made me want to learn everything I could about the country and its language. In high school, I took every Spanish class available to me. I have always wanted to travel to Spain, and this dream was realized when I took part in the SRCS school trip to Spain in 2019. The trip was everything I had hoped for!
In middle school, I went on a field trip to Kennedy Space Center that sparked a passion in me for the space program. This trip prompted me to learn everything I could about the space race, astronauts, moon landings, and the shuttle program. As a teacher, I try to pass on that passion to my students when we study space each year .
