CUSD 50 Staff Spotlight: Colleen Cameron, Library Media Specialist at Harvard High School
"I grew up in Arlington Heights and Crystal Lake. I went to Prairie Ridge High School. I graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the College of William and Mary in Virginia then came back to Illinois to teach. I have a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from NIU, and I took classes for my Library Information Specialist certification at Dominican University."
"There weren’t really specific people that inspired my career path, more a personal sense that I needed to help others. Being an English teacher was a way to do that while also talking about books. It was my plan by the time I graduated high school, and this path was solidified by the happiness I felt when volunteering in college. I was a high school English teacher for over seven years, but working part-time as a tutor and bookseller while my daughter was young helped me see that I was ready for a new focus. Last year, I received my Library Information Specialist certification, and I’m grateful to be in my first year as Library Media Specialist at Harvard High School, combining my different interests and expertises into a job that perfectly fits me."
"What could be better than a student saying, “Being in your class changed my life”? I’m lucky enough to have experienced this. Positive interactions with students can have a ripple effect that is “incalculably diffusive,” as George Eliot says in my favorite book, Middlemarch. We have many chances to make an impact and, by doing so, make the world better."
"I love the students. They are kind, respectful, and willing to apologize when they make a mistake. They truly make the library a fun place by participating in games and crafts, suggesting new books, answering my questions and riddles, and brightening my day by saying “hi.”"
"Don’t wait for other people to be kind to you; just be kind to them. Be the first one to smile, to say hello, to offer assistance. Doing so takes courage and a lack of ego, but you will bring positivity to others that will, without question, come back around to you. However, positivity is not easy or weak. It can be challenging, which means that you HAVE to take care of yourself. I find the energy to smile and be kind because I set boundaries that protect my own well-being. Don’t sacrifice your health and happiness for your workload; take time to relax and to be present with your family and friends."