Bustling within Room 204 this year is new teacher, Miss Kelly McNees. “I had some really bad history teachers and some really good history teachers… I decided I wanted to be one of those people that make history really interesting for the students,” McNees said. McNees’ goal is simple: to interest students in history. Her plan to achieve this goal is through relevant and interesting lessons. She plans to use skills she learned while teaching at North Catholic High School in Pittsburgh. “I’m a hands-on learner, and I think it’s really cool to get students involved in projects,” she said. Hands-on learning is just one of the tricks McNees has up her sleeves. Another is her own demeanor. “I like to think I’m very passionate. Whether it’s teaching a classroom or coaching, I’m not a quiet person,” McNees said. Perhaps this passion will help her get further involved in Freedom. For example, her qualifications as a dance instructor may allow her to assist some of Freedom’s extracurricular groups. “I started dancing when I was three years old, for probably the same reason a lot of kids get into dance. It was something that kind of stuck,” McNees said. Freedom’s musical productions were something that McNees was aware of before taking the job. The possibility of joining was also something she considered. “If there was an opportunity to help out…I’d love to,” she said. Dance is also useful in her teaching style. “I approach the way I would teach a dance the same way I’d teach a lesson. [When teaching a dance] you have to choreograph it, which is kind of like creating a lesson plan. You need to verbally give the commands, you need to demonstrate, you need to get them up and involved,” McNees said.