Katie Garner attended Federal Hocking High School and graduated in 2004. She is now the Family Education Intervention Coordinator for Sojourners Care Network. Katie said, “Federal Hocking provided me with a great diverse education which has helped me to be very diverse in my job.” She feels that the open minded education helped her perform many tasks at work as well as give her a more open outlook within her career.
I asked Garner about some of her favorite high school memories and teachers which she spoke about passionately. Her favorite teacher was Mrs. Collins saying she was the most patient teacher in the entire school, even saying “She was way more than a math teacher, she was also like our mentor and personal cheerleader for those students that needed it.” She spoke about her memories of Federal Hocking so vividly such as popping gum in Mr. Tabler’s class and even getting the opportunity to cut chickens heads off in FFA. What she felt was most important though was, “There were the usual cliques and half of the class went to Tri- County, we were all pretty close.” She continued, saying the community was very strong and people were always guaranteed help and support from one another.
At Katie’s graduation, she said she experienced every emotion, she was nervous but also excited, sharing that she “Had a huge yearning to get out and explore the world.” After graduation she attended Ohio University as a Psychology major.
