CBA sophomore Mackenzie Griffith recently sat down with religion teacher, Mrs. Moore. Moore, who is a new teacher at CBA, earned her Bachelor of Science in Music at Hartwick College in Oneonta. She has also received her Masters of Theological Studies at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA.

Q: What out of school activities do you take part in?

A: Right now I most enjoy spending time with my husband and my son, James. He just turned one and is so adorable, I just love making him laugh. Otherwise, I spend a lot of time practicing music. I lead music at my church on piano, organ and guitar and I also practice my flute and play in a quartet. I swim laps at the gym and run around my neighborhood sometimes with my son in the running stroller. He likes the wind in his face. I also do Irish dance, which I’ve been doing since I was a kid.

Q: What do you look forward to most in your workday?

A: Taking attendance is always a hoot, and so is grading…but, I’d have to go with seeing all of your smiling faces.

Q: Who is your biggest inspiration and why?

A: As I’ve told my classes, Jesus is always the answer. Without sounding too corny, I just always try to look to him as the example of how to act and what to do. Most of the stories about Jesus show him helping other people. That’s what I’m always striving to do too.

Q: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

A: I would put an end to war and all of the violence that’s constantly happening. War never seems to bring peace, does it?

Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t a teacher?

A: That’s really hard to say because I think being a teacher is just who I am. When I think about all the different things I could do, all of the things I want to do, involve teaching in some way. I’ve been asked to teach many things in my career so far, from choir to language arts to social studies, and while I certainly like some subjects more than others, at the end of the day, I just like to teach. I’m really enjoying teaching high school religion this year because I think if I can give teenagers a positive experience of religion and the church, my work can really do a huge amount of good in the world.

Q: What inspired you to start Meditation Monday in class?

A: When I was studying for my master’s degree, I wrote my thesis about using meditation in the classroom, so I spent a lot of time reading and writing about it. I learned a lot about all the benefits meditation can offer. It’s a peaceful and quiet time to spend with God, but it also can take away anxiety and help you be happier. A lot of Christians don’t realize that contemplative practices like meditation are part of our tradition and have been since the start of our church, so I really like helping people find that. When I meditate, it helps me feel more centered and able to be the best person I can be, and I hope to help CBA students feel that too! There are a lot of stresses in the life of a high school student. I want to do whatever I can to help relieve that stress.

Favorites

Book: I love to read so it’s hard to choose. My favorite book I read recently was Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

Food: Too many delicious foods to pick just one! I do enjoy Mexican food though, especially guacamole.

Vacation Spot: Maine

Television Show: Portlandia

Movie: When Harry Met Sally

Sport: Running, Swimming, Yoga