Heather Williams

Thousands-dare we say hundreds of thousands?-of Americans each day begrudgingly roll out of bed to prepare themselves for another day at a job that they most likely hate. Hawken Spanish teacher Heather Williams isn`t one of those people. "Coming to work almost never feels like work," she exclaimed. "It is so personally energizing to be a teacher, colleague, mentor, friend--just about any workplace role I can think of for myself." Williams` path to Hawken began in Falls Church, Virginia, en route, she thought, to a job with the federal government. Living in the Washington, D.C. area, it was a typical career goal for most of the people Williams knew. "I suppose I could have been a good bureaucrat...," she said. But after spending part of three summers during college living with a family in Puerto Rico, Williams detoured. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Latin American Studies and a master`s in Spanish, moved to the buckeye state, and taught Espa+â-¦ol at Kent State University and Western Reserve Academy. The rest, as they say, is...history. In this case, Hawken history. In 2005 Williams received Hawken`s Excellence in Teaching Award for her evident passion for education. "I don`t want to let my students down. I hope they regard me as a teacher who sets high standards-for herself and for them," she said. So, yes, there`s the possibility that she would have excelled working for the government. Who knows? At this point, only one thing matters: "...I`m likely a better teacher," she said. Amy Murdoch `08 contributed to this feature.