Amy Brandewie
Amy Brandewie
Hornet of the Hive
Alyssa Stringer, Staff WriterMay 2, 2025Hornet of the Hive
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Photos submitted by Amy Brandewie
Amy Brandewie is a familiar face around Flour Bluff High School, but her connection to the campus began long before she ever stepped into the classroom as a teacher. A proud Hornet alumna, Brandewie now serves as the yearbook advisor and photojournalism teacher, where she’s helping students tell the stories of their peers—one photograph, one interview, and one deadline at a time.
Brandewie is in her fourth year leading the yearbook program, after previously teaching English and advising the school newspaper. She also coaches the UIL journalism team, which has consistently advanced to regionals and earned multiple recognitions for their work.
Yearbook, she says, is one of her greatest joys because it’s entirely student-created.
“Everything you see in that book, the kids made. I’m just the ship—they decide the direction and how fast it’s going,” Brandewie said. “It gets better each year because of their talent. This year’s book? It’s going to be the best one yet.”
Her classroom is more than a workspace—it’s a sanctuary. From cozy lighting to walls decorated with student work, Brandewie has created a space where students can relax and be themselves.
“Things can get hectic in the halls, so I want my room to feel like a place where students can breathe and decompress,” she said.
Brandewie uses every opportunity to celebrate student creativity, regularly printing and displaying photojournalism work in the hallways to highlight their skill and inspire others. And when it’s time to celebrate milestones, she knows how to make it special—from snack days to themed class parties.
Her teaching is grounded in a strong sense of empathy and authenticity.
“I try to represent our students’ lives and culture in the yearbook and be inclusive so that everyone’s story gets told,” she said.
Being a former student at Flour Bluff herself, Brandewie understands the power of connection and mentorship. She credits her own high school English teachers—including now-colleague Mr. Beauchamp, and her “partner in crime,” Mrs. Underbrink—for inspiring her teaching career.
“Mrs. Underbrink has shown me so many tools that have made my life easier, especially with technology,” Brandewie said. “At first, I was resistant, but now I’m like, ‘You were right, this is so much easier!’”
When she’s not in the classroom or on a deadline, Brandewie enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, their pets (including a snake), and her close circle of teacher friends. She’s a beach lover, brunch-goer, reality TV fan, and self-proclaimed hoarder who once dreamed of becoming an anthropologist.
“I went to archaeology field school, lived in a tent for eight weeks, and worked on a dig site,” she recalled. “It was so cool. Archaeologists are the cowboys and cowgirls of science.”
While she jokes that retirement feels far off, Brandewie dreams of one day traveling in an RV and crafting with her kids. But for now, her sights are set on student success.
“Watching students grow, find confidence, and chase their goals—that’s the most rewarding part,” she said. “Some of these kids I’ve had for four years. They feel like my children.”
Brandewie’s advice to students is both practical and poetic:
“Things that feel like a big deal now won’t always be. Everything changes. So, appreciate the good moments and push through the hard ones,” she said. “You will find your people. What’s meant for you will always be yours.”
As a teacher, mentor, and former Hornet, Amy Brandewie continues to shape the Flour Bluff community with creativity, compassion, and a camera roll full of memories.
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