Everyone’s favorite part of science class is the experiments, but one thing special about science at SEHS is the teacher.

Leslie Daugherty is the 8th grade science teacher, IP&C teacher, chemistry teacher and one of the yearbook advisers. She’s been teaching for 13 years. Before she came to Springlake-Earth, she taught in Plainview for ten years. Mrs. Daugherty didn’t always see herself as a teacher; she originally saw herself as Volcanologist or Military police. She has two children, a daughter and a son and lives on a ranch. 

During her senior year of high school she got her CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) license and knew she had a calling to help people. 

“I started working as a CNA after high school, and I got attached to the old people and then I’d go on my days off and I’d come back, and they would have passed,” Daugherty said. “So, I decided I wanted to help people in a way that I could go home on the weekends and come back and not have lost them.”

Daugherty is very passionate about science and helping others which lead her in the teaching direction.

“The two things just kind of fell into place,” Daugherty added.

After teaching in Plainview for ten years, Mrs. Daugherty knew she wanted to find somewhere new, but she was not sure where. 

“There’s a Feedyard down the road from my house and I kept seeing those ‘Hi Macey’ trucks and it intrigued me into doing some research, and it led me to Springlake-Earth,” Daugherty said. “ I didn’t bother looking anywhere else, I feel like God put me here.” 

In her previous teaching job at Plainview, she only taught middle school classes.

“I think the biggest difference, not so much the middle school to the high school as it is from 5A to 1A,” Daugherty said. “There I taught them for one year then didn’t see them again unless they worked at sonic or something. Here I get to watch them grow up. That has been a true blessing.”

There is not a specific class or subject she likes more than the other.

“In IPC, I get to play more than I do with chemistry and 8th grade,” Daugherty stated. “We get to do a lot more activities and hands-on.”

Mrs. Daugherty has a special place in some of her students hearts and they truly appreciate everything she has done. 

“She’s just one of those teachers that really cares and is willing to give you chances and she just checks up on you in general and you know that means a lot to most kids,” senior Jacksiry Figueroa said. “She’s always always helping her students try to improve, no matter what, she’s there.” 

On days she is not teaching, she has some hobbies she enjoys doing with her husband Calvin. 

“We like to chuckwagon cook, I know that’s kind of weird. We have like early 1900’s model wagon that’s got the wooden wheels.” Daugherty said. “We go do competition where we have an open fire and we cook chicken fried steak with beans, biscuits, a cobbler of some kind and mashed potatoes all from scratch.”

She also has few goals set in place that she hopes to reach.

“I got my masters in Instructional Coaching cause I love curriculum. I like learning how children see content,” Daugherty said. “So I’d like to help other teachers do that.”

Daugherty wants each student to remember her by her caring, and realistic mentality.

“I try to be as real and honesty with them as possible,” Daugherty added. “To let them know that the relationship between a student and teacher is more than just what’s in the book.”