By Terrica Hendrix
News-Leader staff
HOUSTON – A Nashville High School graduate and former Scrapper cheerleader has beennamed assistant principal at a Texas school.
LaTish “Tish” Edwards, a 2002 NHS graduate, was hired as assistant principal at Black Elementary School in Cypress, Texas.
She grew up in Nashville and still has family ties to the area. Edwards, 32, is the daughter of Marvin and Shelia Edwards and is the younger sister to LaTasha Flowers and Lamar Edwards. Her father is the pastor of Lifeline Ministries in Nashville, and her mother is a missionary.
After graduating from NHS, Edwards attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello and received her bachelor’s degree in Early Education K-4. The former Scrapper cheerleader was a member of the UA-M cheer squad from 2002-2006 and was captain three years.
Edwards decided to move away from home to pursue her dreams and advance her career. In December 2007, she moved to Houston and “began my teaching career in Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, teaching third grade math and science [for] a total of five years,” Edwards said.
“I’ve also taught third grade language arts and reading for one year and taught kindergarten for three years. While teaching, I attended Walden University where I received my master’s in education specializing in math and reading.” She also attended Sam Houston State University and received her principal’s certification.
In 2010, she danced for the Houston Aeros Hockey team and then she danced for the Major League Soccer team Houston Dynamo from 2011-2014.
Edwards said that “seeing a need for someone to better connect with parents to help change the lives of the students” is what “drove my desire” to become an assistant principal.
“My Nashville roots have given me a solid foundation for life, and I think a lot of my success came through Gaye Graham and Anita Stuckey giving me a chance to pursue my passion of cheerleading which gave me confidence. My upbringing in the church taught me how to speak in front of large crowds. The combination of both brought me here. I have a passion for people in general and a major focus on children and how productive they will be in society. The person that made me passionate about education was Mrs. Becky [Floyd], my kindergarten teacher. Her love and how she made me feel is something I’ve always wanted to give back to my students. I’ve also been blessed with the most supportive and loving parents a child could ever wish for. Even when they don’t understand or want me to go, they trust my decisions and support me.”
The Cypress-Fairbanks ISD is located in Houston. During the 2010-2011 school year, the school district had more than 106,000 students.
