Teaching can be a rewarding profession that allows you to impact the lives of the next generation. Jaden Hawkins says that being able to see her students progress and reach achievements is special to her.
“I thoroughly enjoy building relationships with the kids,” she said. “I love getting to watch them grow from their freshman year to their senior year.”
Hawkins teaches freshman English at Ponca City High School. As a graduate of Ponca City, she says that being able to teach where she once learned as a student is something she does not take for granted.
“Because I am a POHI alumna, I get the opportunity to give back to the community that helped me become who I am, and I feel really grateful for that,” Jaden said. “I enjoy being an assistant softball coach on the same field where I played in high school.”
When she looks back on her life as a student, she has a few of people that impacted her life and helped guide her on the path to where she is now.
“My mom, Dr. DaLana Hawkins, was my biggest influence on becoming an educator,” she recalled. “Growing up, I always knew what I wanted to do because of the role model she was in and out of the classroom. Also, my freshman English teacher, Mr. Shelton, always made class exciting, no matter what we were doing or reading. My U.S. History teacher, Mr. Hedgecoth, was someone that thoroughly enjoyed teaching. His love for teaching and the kids was obvious anytime you walked through his door.”
Jaden is married to her husband Jared Wedel and they have a son, Theodore, who is a year and a half. When she is not in her classroom, family time is something she loves to do.
“I like spending time with my family, playing outside, and taking trips.”
