Golden wave media staff member Joiyah Blackmon sat down with THS teacher of the year Katrina Berry-Ivy. 

JB: How long have you been teaching ? 

KB: Three and a half years 

 JB: What subjects do you teach? 

KB: I teach broadcast journalism (woohoo!), WTHS, [make sure you got the woohoo part in there.] Foundations of journalism and  ACT prep. 

JB:  was being a teacher, your dream job? 

KB: That is an interesting question. So when I was in high school, I was actually on the newspaper staff. And I was the editor in chief of the newspaper. So I was planning to go into print journalism. And I had a local weekend anchor come in and talk to my class. I do not remember exactly what she said. But from that moment, I actually wanted to go into broadcast journalism. So when I went to college, I went, I was taking classes under communications, broadcast journalism, working for the newspaper. But my junior year, I was wondering if I needed to change my major to education. And I thought, No, I’m a junior in college. Let me go ahead and finish broadcast journalism. So I actually have 10 years of broadcast journalism experience. I’ve worked in radio and television at three different stations. And prior to coming to Tupelo High School, I was the morning anchor for WTVA. And it was just getting really hard to wake up at 2:30 in the morning, every single day, like to wake up at 2:30 in the morning, and to be on the anchor desk at 3:45 in the morning, ready to go on camera. And so I just really started praying about it. And there was an opening here. And I’m so thankful that Mr. Dobbs took a chance on me and I love it. Wow that was a long answer to your to your question. 

JB: Which traits do you think you need to be a teacher?

KB:  Empathy. You never know what a student is going through that particular day compassion. And just think about all the lessons that we have learned through COVID and grace, giving a student grace, you honestly do not know what is going on in their home. And so I think Grace, empathy, compassion are definitely three traits. You’re asking really good questions By the way, 

JB: what qualities do you look for in a student? 

KB: Well, each student is someone’s whole world, like that student is the most important person to someone. And so we need to keep that in mind. And so, I’m hoping that when we may not agree on something but [we can] respectfully disagree. So I think I would say looking for respect. I guess that would be the best way to answer that.