Sunday, June 30, 2024
Gatesville Independent School District has announced that local Santanna Bay will take on the role as horticulture teacher at Gatesville High School.
“I accepted the position to be the new horticulture teacher because of my passion for growing and caring for plants,” Bay said. “I get to combine my love of plants with the knowledge I have gained over my lifetime and pass it on to a new generation, hopefully inspiring a newfound appreciation of horticulture with our high school students.”
Bay is originally from Shiner and graduated high school in 2003. Following graduation, she spent four years at Texas A&M in College Station to obtain her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics with a minor in economics.
After college graduation in May of 2007, she later moved to Gatesville, and in 2010 she and her husband Ryan built a home in Mound where they currently reside.
Bay and her husband have two sons, Greyson and Graham, who are both in the Gatesville ISD school system.
She might also be recognized as a familiar face in town since her husband’s family owns Coryell Feed and Supply. She has been employed with the family-owned business for over 17 years now.
“While I may not have an official teaching degree, I have spent the last 17 years answering hundreds of questions daily from customers, educating them on plants, chemicals, animals, gardens, insects, yard care, and anything else they may have problems with or questions about,” she said. “I use my own life experiences to help others with their current situation and formulate a plan to best address their needs.”
She expressed that she has been teaching people of all ages about plants for years and being able to talk to her customers one on one has helped her connect with them on a more personal level.
“I am able to find out their needs and then prepare solutions that are applicable to their situation,” she said. “My time with Coryell Feed has shown me to how build strong connections with people, which I will carry over to the students of Gatesville High School.”
Bay said that she is excited to be the new horticulture teacher because she will get to provide students with numerous chances to be hands-on in and out of the classroom. She is eager to share with students how horticulture can lead them into many different career options.
“I hope to show the students that learning horticulture can give them a sense of fulfillment and purpose,” she said.
When asked what her goals consist of for the upcoming school year, she mentioned that she would like to see the students have as many hands-on opportunities as possible.
“I think we all learn better when we can be totally immersed in the subject matter at hand so I would love to expose them to as many horticultural practices as I can during the school year,” she said.
She expressed that she truly loves learning and is always looking for opportunities to become more knowledgeable in different subjects, and she wants to use that knowledge to motivate and empower her students to reach their full potential as human beings.
“I want to inspire the students to pursue their goals and develop a lifelong love of learning,” she said. “I want to create a supportive learning environment that pushes their creativity, inspires them to go further, and dream bigger.”
