The Artisan: What kind of music do you listen to? Cohen: Gospel. The Artisan: What made you want to be a healthcare worker? Cohen: I like interacting with the kids because I’ve been doing this all my life. Working with children. I’m a nurturer. The Artisan: What has been the most interesting thing about your time here so far? Cohen: Talking to the students, honestly. … Continue reading Karen Cohen

The Artisan: What brought you to DA? Butler: I retired last year, and then I decided to come back to the school system. I had a really good interview here, and I wanted to work with a smarter, different set of kids. I used to work in a bad school. I love working at different schools. The Artisan: What is your favorite part of the … Continue reading Brenda Butler

The Artisan: What brought you to DA? Burke-McCloud: Ever since 2017, I taught at Englewood High School, and it’s a very different population. It’s a Title 1 school, so a lot of students are on free reduced lunch, or they have a lot of reading deficits. And I did well with those students. They learned, they liked me, but I felt a little like I … Continue reading Kerry Burke-McCloud

The Artisan: What brought you to DA? Titus: I have an appreciation for the arts. I appreciate the uniqueness of the students and that they get to pursue their interests. I also appreciate that there’s no sports team, so I don’t have to pretend to like football. The Artisan: How would you describe your teaching style? Titus: Hmm…I want to say laid back but do … Continue reading Cathy Titus

Jared Williams, School Security Officer, graduated from Douglas Anderson as a vocal major. The Artisan: What was your experience like as a student at DA? Do you think DA has changed since then? Williams: It seemed more magical back then. There were student performances all the time. You could walk around and a vocal kid would be singing, or the creative writers would do their … Continue reading Jared Williams

The Artisan: What drew you to DA specifically? Williams: The quality and culture of the school. And my husband is a graduate from here, so that helped too. The Artisan: What is the hardest part of your job? Williams: Honestly, I would say it’s not that hard. I love what I do. If I had to pick something I would say being away from my … Continue reading Marquita Williams

The Artisan: What was your first impression of Douglas Anderson? Hyder: I was very impressed with the facilities and especially the student body. Just to see how polite and focused everyone was in their arts areas. It was very impressive to see the environment. The Artisan: How would you describe your connection to Douglas Anderson so far? Hyder: It’s a very new experience. That’s the … Continue reading Natalia Hyder

The Artisan: What have you enjoyed about working at Douglas Anderson so far and what stands out to you about the school? Williams: I have enjoyed my time here. I used to work at Fort Caroline Middle School. So, coming here, it was very different. We have our issues, but it’s a wonderful school. The Artisan: Do you have a vision for the future of … Continue reading Apriale Williams

Tina Wilson, principal, graduated from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts as a Vocal major. The Artisan: I know that your experience as Douglas Anderson principal has been so frantic, but how does it feel to fill a permanent position at the school? Wilson: It’s definitely exciting when you have the opportunity to be the principal of the school you graduated from! It’s actually a … Continue reading Tina Wilson

The Artisan: What was a highlight of either high school or college? Gee: When I was in high school, I took a child development class. Even as young as fifteen, I’ve always known I wanted children. And there was an exercise that we did, where we had to pick a random gender out of a hat, and I’d chosen a boy. And now, I have … Continue reading Lourdes Gee