Dear Students,

     I fell in love with reading in fifth grade. I tucked into cozy corners with classic children's literature, deciphered Nancy Drew mysteries by flashlight, and then... fell head-over-heels for Dean Koontz, a science-fiction horror novelist. After tearing through ten Koontz titles in quick succession, my mother sensed my obsession and made a deal with me: she would continue to fund my horror habit if I read a classic novel in-between each Koontz offering. We shook on it, and thus began my exploration of Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, Jack London, E.M. Forster, Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, etc...

     Initially, these novels ensured my steady consumption of juicy Koontz morsels. Over time, the more elevated texts burrowed their way into my heart. They challenged me, awakened me, touched me and changed me -- I developed a profound love for storytelling, a love that nudged me closer to my first career as an actor and my second career as a teacher.

     I graduated from New York University with a BFA in drama and later returned to Metropolitan State College of Denver for my secondary English licensure. I am currently working toward a master's in curriculum and instruction at Colorado Christian University. 

     I worked as a professional actor and vocalist for over twenty years. Here are some links to interviews and such for some of my favorite projects: 

Xanadu: In the Spotlife

Evita: In the Spotlife

True West: 2017

Trying New Things in Xanadu

     I love literature because it offers companionship in our loneliest chapters, challenges us to revise our beliefs and grapple with the complexities of human behavior; and encourages our intimate exploration of cultures, landscapes, ideas, and experiences we would never investigate otherwise. 

     I am excited to return to the classroom and facilitate your travels through some of the world's most compelling literature. I am also excited to guide you toward mastery as communicators and writers. I want you all to maximize your connections with other human beings and to experience the thrill and comfort that comes when the words you send out are heard... and understood.

     Sincerely, 

     Ms. Shealy