Most teachers’ favorite time of the school year is graduation, and this is no different for November’s staff shoutout, International Baccalaureate English teacher Joye Saxon! She has been teaching faithfully at Watkins Mill for 19 years.

In her free time, she enjoys reading, shopping, and traveling. Some of the places she has traveled to include Monaco, Barcelona, and Prague. 

“As an English teacher, she’s very good. As a friend, she’s very emotionally supportive,” junior Nathaly Rosales said. “She tells you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. That’s my favorite thing about her.”

During her travels, she’s experienced once-in-a-lifetime moments. One of her favorite experiences is when she got to hold a baby alligator. Ms. Saxon was born in Washington, DC and graduated from Hampton University. She earned her law degree from the American University Washington College of Law.

“I look forward to graduation, not because it’s in June. Not because it’s the end, it’s the beginning and the end,” said Saxon.

During her high school years, she played two years of field hockey. She has no children or pets allowing her time to go out and explore. She likes to travel as often as possible. Going to a new location almost every summer, sometimes with others and sometimes alone, makes for an exciting adventure no matter where she ends up.

“I like experiencing other cultures, their food, their clothing,” Saxon said.

Ms. Saxon makes English class enjoyable while keeping it real with her fun personality. Allowing her students to learn and succeed on their own is something she excels at, making her a great English teacher. Stay tuned for our other November staff shoutout!