Following the right path

Elementary Teacher of the Year took winding road to education

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER

Emily Lively grew up in a working-class family, so when it came time to choose a profession to pursue, she aspired to a bit more.

“My dad was a police officer and my mom was a teacher,” said Lively. “We were pretty much paycheck-to-paycheck and I felt like I needed more money, so I got a business degree.”

For the next decade after graduating from Abilene Christian University with said degree, Lively worked in the corporate sector, but her heart was never in it – so eventually she followed her mother’s footsteps into education and hasn’t looked back.

Lively was named the Liberty Hill Independent School District’s Elementary Teacher of the Year for her work as a fifthgrade educator at Liberty Hill Elementary School, where she has taught for the past nine years after three at Bill Burden Elementary.

In addition to being named Liberty Hill Elementary’s Teacher of the Year, the overall elementary honor also landed Lively the Kristy Kercheville Excellence in Teaching Award – a $1,000 teaching grant named in honor of the late Liberty Hill ISD director of communications on behalf of the Liberty Hill ISD Education Foundation. Be like Mom

Lively’s mother, Mary Lou Lively, also taught in the district and was the primary inspiration for her finally following along that same path, she said.

“Obviously, my mother was my mentor and role model,” said Lively, who worked for an audit company in the insurance industry previous to education. “Actually, I should’ve gotten into teaching a long time ago.”

However, the fact she took a 10-year detour has made her current career that much more rewarding, she said.

“I’m a person of faith,” said Lively. “So, part of the journey to get me here has definitely played a role in the joy I now have because before I was unfulfilled.”

Along those same lines, Lively has remained single all these years – something she also attributes to a greater plan for her life.

“My path God has laid out for me doesn’t involve a husband or kids,” she said. “So, I put everything I have into my job, which allows me to serve my colleagues better because I can try to take on more than the average teacher and do things they can’t necessarily. This way, I can give more to the kids and my teammates.”

All that being said, Lively highlighted how the happiness she gets from her work many times offsets the drawbacks of the teaching profession.

“If I didn’t love what I do, I would be miserable,” she said. “Teaching is a lot of hard work, so that helps me through some of the

Rosser was named Liberty Hill Independent School District’s Secondary Teacher of the Year – recognition she doesn’t take lightly.

“I’m absolutely humbled and honored,” said Rosser. “Because we’re blessed to have so many gifted and excellent teachers here. One of the most humbling aspects is this award is voted on by your peers.”

For Rosser, having the ability to stand at the front of a classroom is also something not to be taken for granted, she said.

“Every day, people trust us with their most prized possessions – their children,” said Rosser. “Teaching is a privilege.”

Along with the award, Rosser also received the Kristy Kercheville Excellence in Teaching Award – a $1,000 teaching grant named in honor of the late LHISD director of communications on behalf of the Liberty Hill Education Foundation – which she already has earmarked, she said.

“I’m going to use it to build a classroom library,” said Rosser. “It’s something every English classroom needs and should have.”

Bridging the gap

Due to the fact middle school is the conduit for students between elementary and high school, educating at that level can prove difficult at times as young people begin to figure out who they are as human beings – although that makes the payoff that much more gratifying, she said.

“Middle school can present some of the greatest challenges we face as teachers,” said Rosser. “But, also the greatest rewards.”

Next year, Rosser will move to Liberty Hill High School, where she will teach English I and be able to combine her profession with personal interests, as son Bryson will be a junior.

“Bryson is in the band and I want to be able to participate and help more with that and other activities,” she said. “Being at the high school will allow me to do that – it’s going to be a change and a challenge professionally, but I’m very excited to be joining the high school campus and looking forward to the culture.”

By doing so, Rosser will have the opportunity to further witness the development of some of her former students.

“I wanted to teach English I so I could help freshmen with the transition to high school,” said Rosser. “I’ll see some familiar faces because I’ll have some of the kids I had last year in seventh grade and moving up can be difficult because in high school, things like planning, organization, advocating for themselves and responsibility increases for students.”

Pushing the right buttons

Rosser drew a parallel between academics and athletics – a theme she takes advantage of in getting her message across in the classroom, she said.

“Reading and writing is like a sport in