“The investment I made in my students beyond academics was worth so much,” she said. ”Giving students a chance to be involved in the community helps them to understand selfworth and what it means to give back.”

One club she oversaw, Key Club, was involved in 6,000 hours of community service from her students.

Clawson also served as an advisor for the Health Occupation Services of America (HOSA) club, prom and several others.

The California native had a mix of health and teaching as her majors in academics. Clawson graduated from Milligan College with a Bachelors of Science degree in nursing, a Master’s Degree in secondary education from East Tennessee State University and an Educational Specialist Degree in instructional leadership from Lincoln Memorial University.

“I got the best of both worlds with teaching what I love, foundations and introduction to the healthcare industry and fundamental concepts of nursing,” she said.

In addition to enjoying teaching her passion for healthcare, she chose to become an educator because it felt more impactful.

“Pursuing a full-time career in education rather than healthcare […] To me education is the most valuable thing we can provide our youth with,” she said. “I was motivated to become a school leader in hopes of making a bigger impact. Everyday I strive to be a better educator than I was the day before, the students and teachers I work with deserve that.”

Clawson hopes for several things her students could have gotten from her teachings.

“I hope the students I encounter know how much I believe in each of them,” she said. ”I hope every student I encounter uses their own uniqueness to try their best in all they do. When I taught, I hoped for two things, that students took something away from every lesson and learned something valuable about life.”

Reflecting on her time this far in teaching, Clawson considers herself lucky.

“I like to say I am the lucky one,” she said. “Every student I have encountered has taught me something about life or the value of my job. As a school leader, promoting growth among my students and empowering teachers with compassion is the most important task.”

Clawson is now the Vice Principal at Johnson County High School in Mountain City.

“I have been honored to work with educators in both Carter County Schools and Johnson County Schools that are truly unsung heroes,” she said. “There are so many educators and teachers I have had in my lifetime that have driven me to do my job with determination and poise. I will continue to give the field of education everything I have, I love what I do […] For me, I technically never have to work a day in my life.”

To anyone wanting to become a teacher, she has some advice.

“Give 110 percent effort every day you teach,” she said. “Do it with compassion, embrace the obstacles and be a lifelong learner. If we expect our students to grow and learn, we have to be the example and be willing to grow and learn.”