NAME: Vanessa B. Campo

CAMPUS: Mann Middle School

TITLE: AVID Elective Teacher

YEARS WITH AISD: 5 years; teaching for 20 years

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU ATTEND? Home town: Fort Stockton, Texas.  Graduated from Sul Ross State University in Alpine in December 1998.

TELLS US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY: My husband, Sam, is my college sweetheart.  We met on the Sul Ross tennis courts where we both played for the team. We will be married for 20 years this July. We have 2 children: Joseph, 14, a freshman at AHS and Arabella a seventh grader at Mann. We moved to Abilene in the summer of 2014 from Midland. We have three dogs and enjoy outdoor activities and boating.

TELL US SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOURSELF: I like minions. I think they have a lot in common with students. They are cute, sassy, and they definitely can bring a smile to your face at any time. I have a section in my classroom where I keep my collection. I like to listen to audio books and have over 100 books that I listen to regularly. I think it is the best way to multitask.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB?  My favorite part of my job is working with the students. I feel like I have given students the opportunity to believe in themselves and to think of the opportunities that are available to them in the world.  Some students just need a little help thinking outside the box. We always tell students that they can be doctors, lawyers, astronauts and so on but what about the other careers and jobs that are out there. I feel that as the AVID teacher, I can give them other avenues to look at and think about the success they could have.

WHAT THE BOSS SAYS ABOUT HER: “Mrs. Campo has a great heart for students. She identified a need at Mann: we have students at Mann who were capable of academic rigor but lacked stills to navigate a rigorous academic school schedule. Mrs. Campo has 160 7th and 8th grade AVID students who work with her to improve their school experience in academics. They work in class with her to learn the skills needed for success in college while enrolled in at least one Pre-AP course, and they have rocked it!  Grades are higher, student attendance is improved and her students are the ones leading the group work with peers in their classes. We’re so proud of Mrs. Campo and our AVID students!” – Kathy Walker, principal, Mann Middle School