For those of you who are lucky enough to have met our beloved Ms. Goodwin, you are lucky. However, for those of you who haven’t walked into her classroom during any of your four years at Charlottesville High School, let me introduce you to one of the 10th-grade English teachers, the creative writing teacher, and pivotal influence in our school’s community. 

This year, Ms.Goodwin is celebrating her 20th year with us at CHS. During her 20 years with us, she’s expanded her teaching career from simply teaching the English curriculum to teaching her students the reasoning behind writing. Writing in her classroom is more than just a grade, but is an outlet for students during their high school years. 

One of her favorite things about being here at Charlottesville High School is her and her students’ creation of the “Literary Magazine”. the goal is for the students to have complete control over the magazine’s publication, the club’s meetings, and the message behind what they create. All students from all grades can participate. Through assistance from Knight Time Reviews publication, she has seen an influx of engagement. She’s especially looking forward to an increase in student interest next year with more chances for her to advertise her magazine. 

For her, writing isn’t for just the people who want to be journalists. Writing is for creating an outlet for students who will one day become “lawyers, athletes, or doctors” (Goodwin). It’s a fundamental teaching she strives to give all students who get the chance to enter her classroom. She teaches this notion to all of her students. For her, it is not just a thing for those who have the mindset of “I’m going to write and I’m going to publish” (Goodwin) her message for writing expands for those who haven’t even thought about writing before. For her, writing is a good place for students to “Discover who they are, and stay connected with their world” (Goodwin)

Students who have met her throughout the years know her very well. “She has a great personality” (Eva Floyd, Goodwin’s Creative writing student) Unmatched by any other. She teaches well and teaches with passion, “She is passionate about writing” (Eva Floyd). For those of you who haven’t met her or gotten the chance to see for yourself what she means about writing and the outlet it creates for all those who give it a chance, swing on by C109 and maybe ask her about that Literary Magazine.