Behind the auditorium, just past the band room, past lockers #235-252 you will find two classrooms: one is Room 38 and the other is the stained glass and woodshop room. If you were to enter into the stained glass room during second bell you would find a small class of about ten students working diligently and a teacher fluttering around the room helping them in any way she can. That teacher: Mrs. Richardson.
With the start of the 2010 school year a new teacher was added to the Mariemont teaching staff. Art teacher, Mr. Austin, retired last spring. To take over his classes, the school welcomed Mrs. Richardson.
Junior, Dani Scott says, “She’s a good teacher. She’s really cool about taking out of her own time to help you, and if you have a question she’s always ready to help.”
Mrs. Richardson is a Miami (Oxford, Oh.) graduate who spent the past five years teaching Art at Amelia High School.
When asked about adjusting from a big school to a smaller school, Richardson says, “I love it. I like working in a smaller school. Amelia was one of two schools in the West Clermont district and there were about 1,500 students. But here it’s nice because after about two classes you know everyone!”
She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Graphic Design and a minor in Photography, Richardson has been “in to” art for some time now. Becoming an art teacher was not the career path she originally chose, however.
“I worked as a graphic designer for about six years, and it was always just me and my computer all day long. As a teacher though, I really get to make a difference and inspire young artists. Also, my grandmother was an art teacher.”
Mrs. Richardson is responsible for teaching Beginning Photography and Stained Glass at the high school.
She says in her class students can expect “to be creatively challenged, to work hard and to grow as artists.”
Some fun facts about Mrs. Richardson:
- Attended St. Vincent High school in Akron, Ohio. The same high school as Lebron James.
- Dated her high school Government teacher’s son.
- Married her high school sweetheart.
- Has three kids.
Check out the photography class displays located in the art gallery (Hall of Fame hallway), the bulletin board in the music hallways and in the front office. Also you can see their work online on the high school website. http://www.mariemontschools.org/highschool.htm