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Ten years since being in her classroom as a student, Hamilton High School junior Bailey Kay is once again learning from former teacher Jodie Ferrell.

Ferrell, who has been in Hamilton for 34 years now, says Kay reached out to her seeking a two month placement in her classroom through her Teacher Academy program at the Careerline Tech Center.

For four hours per day, three days per week, Kay dedicated herself to shadowing Ferrell and assisting anywhere she could. Her experience turned into a mutually beneficial one, benefiting both her future and the current 1st graders in Ferrell's classroom.

"Bailey was adored by myself and all of the students here," Ferrell explained. "When her time with us came to an end, there were some major hugs and even a few tears from the kids."

Kay says her bond with Ferrell ten years ago as a student is something she still thinks back to frequently. It was that bond that made her want to return to Hamilton Elementary and learn from her yet again. In fact, Kay recalls struggling with reading in first grade and not enjoying it at all. However, Ferrell not only assisted her, she motivated her using ice cream as a reward. Since that moment, Kay has always thrived in reading and learned to enjoy it.

"I still remember that experience ten years ago," explained Kay, "That experience helped me realize I wanted to teach because of how much that impacted me and made me think about the impact I can have on other kids as well."

The valuable experience to return to Hamilton Elementary and learn from one of the best educators you'll find is something Kay doesn't take for granted, and it helped reassure her that she is picking the correct career field.

“My time with Mrs. Ferrell's class was an experience I am very thankful for," Kay said. "I learned about classroom management, day to day class activities, and teaching methods. Throughout my eight weeks, working along side her I was reminded how much I want to be a teacher because of how I can help kids grow and the memories I can make with them. It makes me so happy to see how much the kids grew even in the little time I was working with them.”