Katharine Davis

Though I don't have any hats in my own closet, people often describe me as someone who wears many of them. I suppose they must be figurative then, so here are the hats in my imaginary closet:Mortarboard: As someone who has loved school and learning since a young age, it was no surprise I pursued teaching. Even as a working professional I continue to take classes to improve my teaching knowledge and Japanese ability. I am a life-long-learner!Samurai helmet: I have fallen in love with the people, language and culture of Japan. I have taught Japanese language and culture to students in a variety of settings, and have created or reinstated the Japan clubs to nurture and garner interest in Japanese. I encouraged student participation in outside-of-school events like the quiz bowls, national assessments, local festivals, concerts and anything else I heard of that was Japanese-related. To enrich the classroom experience, I brought in visitors to my classroom, including an ikebana (flower arranging) artist and taiko drummer to present workshops.Beret: Since I was a child I have been in love with viewing, making and teaching art. I enjoy encouraging students to rediscover their creative sides and giving them new skills to appreciate art in the world around them. I stretched my creative wings in a school's theater department as an assistant technical director. I helped design and build set pieces and props for a number of stage plays and musicals, and often created color palettes for the shows.