Each year the K-HS community (parents and faculty included) comes together around the flagpole to offer gratitude for what we have been blessed with and to offer “blessings” to our fellow community members – be they young or old. The fifteen-minute tradition hopefully sets the tone for your own family Thanksgiving time. Pennies are collected to be put into the “Pennies for People” jar, signifying that even loose change, a penny here and there, builds up to something significant when contributed collectively. This money is then distributed to a local charity organization. The second part has to do with feeding: canned goods and staple products are arranged on our special Harvest Table to be taken to the Soup Kitchen by our upperclassmen and dispersed from there.

Mrs. Holt was out of the country last week in Paris where her son, 1975 MSA graduate Dr. Jeffrey R. Holt, Ph.D., was honored as the 2019 FPA Scientific Grand Prize laureate for his work using the CRISPR method to eliminate genetic deafness. Mrs. Holt had this to say about her son’s experience:

Now mind you ... this was an absorbed little child who spent many of his early Montessori years watching white mice in cages, wondering why some ran faster on their wheels than others. By the age of 14, he and a friend opened their own “guppy supply” shop selling to all the local pet stores exhibiting some entrepreneurial skills.

But he also had dysgraphia (poor handwriting) and was a poor speller, so no one particularly knew that he had that kind of scientific mind until his junior year at Wofford when computers with spell check came into play. After that - his course was set in the sciences.

About me:

I am from Costa Rica, a very small country located in Central America. It is well-known for its friendly and peaceful people. In 2006, I moved to Anderson where I have lived since with my two grown children, Nicole and Joel, a teen daughter, Layla, a granddaughter, Anala, and one more granddaughter scheduled to arrive the first week of January, and three dogs, Khloe, Teddy, and Princess.

My education/experience:

• Bilingual secretary in charge of international communications in the service department for a Mercedes-Benz dealership for about 12 years

• Administrative manager for a Chevrolet dealership for four years

• Office manager of a health care center in Costa Rica for two years

• C.A. Radiologist and insurance clerk for two years

• Language Coach for three years for the South Carolina Virtual School

• Spanish teacher at New Covenant School for the last 8 years

• Spanish teacher at MSA for the last three years teaching Spanish 1, 2, 3, 4 and Advanced Spanish

My favorite things:

• Book - Bible
• Movie - Avatar
• Color - Black
• Food - Middle Eastern
• Snack - Fruits
• Activity/Hobby - Working out, outdoor activities, sewing, and painting
• Vacation spot - Flamingo, Costa Rica
• Favorite thing about teaching at MSA - I love to see all the stages of students becoming mature young adults. Also the Administrative and Staff members; I love to see how much they care for students and how kind and welcoming they are.