ANDERSON — Christina Heald has no problem fighting the odds. The 2005 Highland High School alumna sees her future as an environmental-rights lawyer.
“I always wanted to go to law school, and I thought environmental policy would be the prefect niche for me,” she said.
But that will be after her service as a Coast Guard reservist.
And after she finishes two years as a special-education teacher with the service organization Teach For America.
Heald graduated this year from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., with majors in environmental studies and political science and a minor in philosophy. She is preparing to begin her Teach For America tenure, during which she will instruct students in a poor school in San Jose, Calif. The nonprofit Teach For America places select graduates who commit to teach for two years in low-income urban and rural schools. Fewer than 1 in 5 who apply are accepted, according to the organization.
“The goal of Teach for America is to basically eradicate educational inequity among students,” she said. “This is something I feel strongly about, and with my background, this would be a perfect opportunity for me to show students they have as much potential as wealthier students.”
Part of that background includes her Coast Guard experience that provided some of the money to pay for school. Less than a month after graduation from Highland, she was in Coast Guard boot camp, and she’s been a reservist for four years.
“Women are a minority in the Coast Guard,” Heald said.
“I was one of seven out of a company of 164,” she said. “Being a female in the Coast Guard is challenge enough, but I was also the youngest,” when she entered Boot Camp just before her 18th birthday.
Heald serves at the Port of Tampa where she is a marine science technician 3rd class, responsible for inspecting entering vessels for safety and security. She drills two days a month and spends one week a year on active duty.
“With the Coast Guard I had to study the federal code and policy extensively, and have found out that my environmental studies major and Coast Guard obligation have crossed paths many times,” she said. “I feel like the things I learned in the Coast Guard will be very applicable to what I will be doing.”
Heald is the daughter of Carol Edwards-Heald and Matt Heald.
Three other Highland grads also have been accepted to Teach For America or are presently serving: Anna Finger, Jordan Hird and Allison Watkins.
Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.staffor d@heraldbulletin.com
Local Education
Future-focused Highland grad balances teaching, Coast Guard
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