By DANIEL GARCIA SALAS

Renee Cornell is a new social studies teacher at Orangewood High School who teaches United States history and world history.

Cornell was encouraged to become a teacher after coaching a dance team. 

“Coaching the dance team kind of inspired me in a way to start teaching history,” Cornell said. 

Cornell said that while coaching the dance team she was already pursuing teaching due to her parents both being teachers. With her mom teaching history Cornell fell in love with the subject and was inspired to teach history.  

Max Flores, Orangewood senior, enjoys Cornell’s class because “she always has something new to do.”

“I enjoy Mrs. Cornell’s class because everyday is different,” says Orangewood senior Sandra Gaytan. “I really enjoy the beginning of class for the ‘Today’s Day in History’ cause no two days are the same and each day is different.”

Cornell’s fellow teachers notice this, too.

Norma Beckwith, Orangewood history teacher, says Cornell “brings fresh ideas to teach an old subject. As a colleague she is always willing to share her expertise and personally is fun and encouraging.”

If Cornell had to choose a different subject to teach, she said she’d choose to teach English. 

“I’d choose English because it was my second favorite subject. I’ll never teach math and I’ve never liked any other subject,” Cornell said.

While her dream job earlier in life was to be a veterinarian, if teaching didn’t work out for Cornell she said would have tried to open a bakery.

Below are ten of Cornell’s favorites, fears and future goals students may not know about her.

1. She owns two dogs.
2. If a person could choose their own lifestyle Cornell says she’d choose to live close to family with an animal sanctuary on her own land and be financially stable to keep it.
3. Her dream vacation she wants to go on is an African safari. 
4. Another place she wants to visit and see is Ireland. 
5. When it comes to retiring Cornell wants to retire in Montana or Wyoming.  
6. A dream car for her is a simple big SUV. 
7. A skill set Cornell wants to learn is sign language. 
8. An essential Cornell wants in her house is a section couch. 
9. Her favorite type of food is Mexican food.  
10. The things that scare her the most are heights or falling from a high place, saying, “ I absolutely can not do anything high, I would literally die,” she says.

Cornell originally is from Ontario and still resides in Ontario to this day.  Cornell is currently married and has no children. Some at Orangewood still refer to her as “Ms. Wilson” because she got married shortly after she started teaching at Orangewood.  

Beckwith says, “I am so happy that Mrs. Wilson joined our OHS family.”

Feature image: Renee Cornell stands in front of a bookcase in her classroom at Orangewood High School. (DANIEL GARCIA SALAS/ Ethic News photo)