Katherine Williams has always had a love for music. That passion goes as far back as her days at Thousand Oaks Elementary School and Bradley Middle School, where she first met Jason Thibodeaux. “Mr. T,” as he’s affectionately known, is the orchestra director at Churchill High School.
“I actually came to Churchill because of its orchestra program,” said Williams. “Mr. T was my private lesson teacher in middle school and he is an awesome teacher. He makes orchestra feel like home and has always pushed me to try my best.”
Williams saw her love and appreciation for orchestra grow every year at Churchill. During her time on campus, she also discovered a skillset she had no idea she was capable of by taking a chance on a new elective.
“I joined art at Churchill on a whim since I had only really done art at home before then and had never taken a class. I immediately took a liking to painting. The art program has always given me a sense of support and my teachers have been so kind and helpful.”
In December, Williams earned an $8,000 scholarship for her champion oil painting at the Rodeo Western Art Contest. She says she never would have finished the piece without the support of her art teachers.
“The Churchill art teachers are all so supportive, Mrs. Seay especially. She really encourages me to develop my painting skills in a more expressive manner than I am used to. My art teacher last year, Mrs. Johnson, was the one who really pushed me to finish my Western Art piece, which I am super grateful for.”
A village full of people offering support and guidance is sending Katherine off to college with a scholarship to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. For now, she’s still deciding between a major in Comparative Literature or Cognitive Neuroscience.
As Katherine looks forward to the future, she’s also reflecting on the many teachers across North East ISD who helped prepare her for this very moment.
Good luck, Katherine!
