After former head football coach Jeremy Lowry left Paoli, there was a need for a new JAG teacher. Substitute Katie Cook stepped up and accepted the position. She has been a substitute for Paoli for about three years now, and this will be her first time instructing her own class.

Cook was born and raised in Paoli and also graduated from PHS. She has three kids who go to Paoli and one son who attends University of Southern Indiana. She has her BA from Indiana Wesleyan University in General Studies, and she is working on her master’s degree in Special Education. She is very grateful for the opportunity to teach here at PHS.

“I am looking forward to making a difference in the students’ lives. JAG is a great program that teaches students the skills they will need to survive life after high school. I also follow up with each student after graduation for a year. I am looking forward to staying connected to them and staying involved in their lives. I can’t wait to see where life takes them,” said Cook.

The JAG class took a field trip to Indiana University Southeast on April 20. Cook wanted her students to learn about college and where they would like to attend.

“I hope they gained some knowledge of college life in general. Even if it’s not the college they choose, it gave them a good idea of what a college campus looks like, what housing looks like and if they think the college experience is something they are interested in,” said Cook.

Story by Angie Ceja