Kristen Grafton

“...I wanted to be a part of the mission at LCS. It was so meaningful to me as a student, and if I could be a part of that impact for future students, I would be happy.”

At the start of the 2020-2021 school year, Miss Kristen Grafton (LCS Class of 2012) stepped foot back in one of her favorite classrooms — the high school English classroom formerly occupied by retired longtime teacher, Mrs. Judy Oncu. But this time, she walked in as the new teacher for junior and senior honors and Advanced Placement English classes. Kristen shares here about her experiences with LCS and what she loves about teaching English.

Q: Why did you want to come back to teach at LCS?

During my eighth grade year, I came to LCS to interview with administration and shadow a student to determine if LCS was the right high school for me. That afternoon, when my parents picked me up, they expected me to be undecided. I

“Thirteen years later, LCS is still the school for me. I love everything about it...”

had attended my previous school for nine years and didn’t know anything else, so a new environment was likely to be overwhelming. But when I got in the car, I immediately said, “This is the school for me.”

Thirteen years later, LCS is still the school for me. I love everything about it: the competitive academics, the Biblical worldview, the loving faculty, the joyful atmosphere, and the ambitious perspective. I always wanted to come back to LCS as a teacher because I wanted to be a part of the mission at LCS. It was so meaningful to me as a student, and if I could be a part of that impact for future students, I would be happy.

Q: Tell us about yourself. What did you do during your school years at LCS?

I attended LCS for all of high school, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. One of the many, many reasons I loved LCS was the variety it offered. I took multiple AP classes, Latin, Greek, and home economics. I worked on the high school newspaper in journalism and was the copy editor of the yearbook my senior year. I was in the productions of The Sound of Music and Get Smart. The sheer variety of classes and activities in which I participated is unparalleled elsewhere.

Q: What did you do after you graduated from Lakeland Christian?

After graduating from LCS in 2012, I went to the University of South Florida and triple majored in political science, history and English. After graduation, I taught for three years at a small Christian school in Tampa. It was a wonderful experience because I got to teach a variety of classes, including English, history, American Sign

Kristen credits Mrs. Judy Oncu with preparing her academically, but also for encouraging her in her goals, hobbies and faith.

“I want my students to go into the next phase of their lives confident in their writing abilities no matter what field they enter.”

Language, creative writing, and an Old Testament survey class, as well as being involved in multiple activities such as musicals, spelling bees, fine arts competitions and prom planning. In the midst of that, I worked on my Master’s in English from USF, ultimately deciding to go full-time at USF to finish my degree and teach first-year composition. I’m so grateful for my time at USF because I learned exactly what the curriculum was like in college English classes, better preparing me to return to the high school classroom. While at USF, I did some substitute teaching at LCS and a charter school in Tampa to stay in touch with the high school environment.

Q: What is it like to be colleagues with so many of your former teachers?

Most people can identify at least one teacher that had a significant impact on them. The lucky ones can identify a handful of teachers. When I’m asked that question, I’m so grateful to say that I have a lengthy list of teachers, each of whom played a major role in my life. Their impact stretches far beyond the academic realm, and their memory has lasted since I left their classrooms. Returning to LCS as the colleague of many of those teachers has been surreal, but in many ways, it’s like returning to family. As a student, LCS was a second home to me because of my friends and teachers, so having my teachers morph into my friends has been such a fun and wonderful experience.

Q: You replaced “The Queen.” How did it feel taking over for your own high school teacher and for someone who had been here for so long?

As a student, I looked up to many of my teachers and thought, “What would LCS look like without them? Who could ever replace them?” I never imagined that the person who would one day take over for Ms. Oncu would be me. Ms. Oncu, like so many others here, is one-of-a-kind. Anyone who had her as a teacher knows that she is unparalleled in her ability to teach English and writing effectively. The education I received from her carried me well into graduate school,

and countless professors puzzled over my writing ability and wondered where I could have learned to write so well.

Students of Ms. Oncu also know that what makes her a great teacher isn’t just her ability to teach academically. Ms. Oncu encouraged me in my writing but also in my personal goals, my Christian walk, and my hobbies. She was a constant on which I could depend for two years in high school. Her legacy is lasting because she is exceptional.

Taking over for someone so beloved is already intimidating, but Ms. Oncu is someone so personally meaningful to me that I felt a great responsibility to be worthy of being her successor. So much of my own teaching philosophy is derived from her, so in some ways, it was a very natural fit, but I definitely felt the weight of her legacy. As an extension of her impact, she has continued to encourage and support me, turning into a mentor in my life that I value greatly. She has been a significant factor in my feeling confident enough to do this job. In addition, the faculty and staff here have welcomed me all over again, and they have continually supported me and checked in on me. I couldn’t be more grateful to be in this position now, and though it’s funny sometimes to assign something I wrote myself ten years ago, it is definitely the right place for me.

Q: You triple majored in political science, history and English. What made you settle on teaching English? What’s your favorite lessons/ unit/book/etc. that you teach?

I’m the stereotypical bookworm English teacher who loves to read and write, so English was always a natural fit for me. Originally, I thought that I might become a history teacher (and I taught history for a while at the beginning of my career), but I couldn’t ignore the allure of literature and writing. One of my favorite things to teach is literature because I love hearing the class have an in-depth conversation about the characters and themes of a novel. There’s so much to learn from literature, and I love it when the students surprise me with their commentary or analysis.

I also really value teaching writing of all forms. My writing education has benefited me in every aspect of my life. Obviously, my majors were writing-intensive, but even my ability to write more practical, everyday texts like a resume, cover letter, personal statement, article, or blog has significantly benefited me. I want my students to go into the next phase of their lives confident in their writing abilities no matter what field they enter. Writing is such a valuable skill, and due to its unfortunate dwindling prevalence, people who can write well have so many advantages in college and in the workforce.

English class teaches so many versatile skills: persuasive writing, analytical writing, public speaking, research, critical thinking, grammar, organization, and so on. My goal as a teacher is that students develop these skills to the best of their ability so that they can be successful in their future endeavors.