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For many in Monticello, Mrs. Susan Starks is a familiar face and known throughout the community. She is married to Phillip Starks and they have three children. Mrs. Starks has been teaching for nineteen years, and Monticello Intermediate School has had the privilege of having Susan Starks as a teacher for the past nine years. Prior to joining the intermediate campus, she spent seven years teaching at the elementary school, where she taught kindergarten. At the intermediate school she teaches 4th grade. When asked what her favorite memory teaching is she replied, “I think the thing I like the most is when you're teaching a lesson, and then you see the light bulb go off. Then you're like, ‘this is why I teach’.” Another joy of hers is seeing her students outside the classroom and them seeing her as Mrs. Starks the person, not the teacher. She mentioned she volunteers on Wednesday nights with Pauline kids. This is a way for her to develop relationships with her students outside the classroom.
Starks used to play teacher with her sister as a child and always dreamed of becoming one. Once she graduated high school, she continued her education at ASU in Beebe. It was six miles from her home which allowed her to live at home while attending school. When she got to college she was faced with a challenge: there were 200 students wanting to pursue a degree in teaching. The dean told her there were not going to be opportunities or jobs for her. “I believed him and shouldn't have,” Starks said. So, she worked for parks and tourism, and then got into banking. 2008 rolled in with the housing market crashing, and Starks decided “I do not want to do this anymore.” Her daughter Janet was in school, and she told her “You are living my dream and I am so proud of you.” Janet asked, “Why don’t you go to school?” Mrs. Susan Starks then decided why not. She asked her husband, and he fully supported the decision. She now has an associates, bachelor’s, and master’s degree. She did not start teaching till she was 50 years old, in 2008. Janet and Mrs. Starks were able to graduate together, then went on to get their masters together. They got to walk together. “ Both those ceremonies were special, really special.” Mrs. Starks told Turner.
Turner reached out to several students that Starks has taught and is currently teaching. The responses and love these students have shown for Mrs. Starks shows the character and impact she has on her students. Some of those students include Jalen Howell and Dallas Cathey from the Class of 2027, Adyson Jacks from the Class of 2026, Khadance Simmons from the Class of 2032, and one of her current students, Daniel McGowan. Daniel described Mrs. Starks as “fun, helpful, and super nice.” He also said, “She always notices our moods and helps control them when we are upset, angry, happy, and sad. She is always there with open arms.” Wow. If that doesn’t warm your heart. Even a fourth grader can recognize when someone is there who truly cares, no matter what kind of day they may be having. She currently teaches math, and Daniel says, “ We are learning tenths and hundreds. I love math, and she makes it fun.” Turner then interviewed Jalen Howell, a former student of Starks. His favorite memory from her class was when “we won the iReady challenge and got a reward, playing basketball in the gym.” He also shared that one lesson she taught him that will stay with him is, “Keep your head up when you take a loss and keep pushing through.” He added that he also learned to read better and write in cursive. Turner, who was also a classmate of Howell’s, noted that Howell was the best cursive writer in the class. A note to Mrs. Starks from Jalen: “I miss you and would like to see you soon or for you to come to one of my baseball games.” Dallas Cathey, also a classmate of Howell and Turner, answered some questions as well. He said, “I remember she always played us these English jingles and our bell ringers we did every morning. Then, he was asked if he wanted to say anything to her right now. "Thank you for being my teacher, and I hope you are doing well.” Ady Jacks shared that she is very thankful for the personal and educational impact Mrs. Starks had on her. She replied “I learned to write in cursive and write great essays with fluff.” Then continued, “The stuff that has stuck with me the most is when I’m stressed, take deep breaths and be calm, and always be kind to others.” A note she added “Thank you for being so wonderful to me and for shaping me in ways that I still remember and appreciate today. You were one of my favorite teachers, and you continue to be one of my greatest role models. I love Mrs. Starks.” The last interviewee was Khadence Simmons. Khadence said “She was always calm and never made anyone feel lonely. She treated me as her own.” Then Turner asked what her class was like “She was the best math teacher.” Khadence said, “May God Bless her, love you so much because you loved us when we were loud and hyper.”
Mrs. Starks should pat herself on the back. She has all these wonderful students of hers that represent why teachers teach and why great teachers change lives. Turner said, “I was going into 4th grade with lots of anxiety, but Mrs. Starks scooped me up and treated me as her own,” and continued, “I am so thankful for the impact and the continuous love she has shown in my life. Thank you.” She is an example. She started her career later than many teachers, but man, has she done more than some. That is what teachers are: mothers, nurses, counselors, and world changers. Thank you, teachers, and a special thank you to Mrs. Starks for her dream and dedication to her job.
