Guided by a determined work ethic and a passion for students, Alanna James is no ordinary student. Within weeks of earning her BS in History with Secondary Teaching Certification at Texas Wesleyan in spring 2019, Alanna was offered a position teaching history at Polytechnic High School. With an undergraduate degree in hand and a job starting in August 2019, Alanna wasted no time and began work toward a Master's in Education from Texas Wesleyan, which she completed in fall 2020.  

Alanna teaches United States History to juniors at Poly and refers to teaching as a calling. She goes on to say that "the relationships I have with my students, both present and past, is what pushes me to be a better teacher. I can’t imagine doing anything else that could give me the same joy I have when a student gets a 'light bulb' moment, when the content finally clicks together, or when their eyebrows raise because they learn something shockingly interesting about the past."

Congratulations, Alanna! The History program at Texas Wesleyan is proud to call you one of our own; an outstanding young educator!

For more information about the History program at Texas Wesleyan, visit www.txwes.edu/history.