When Taylor Gray first stepped into a classroom as a high school aide for her choir teacher, she didn’t yet realize that moment would chart the rest of her life. “I loved music,” she recalls, “but it wasn’t the music that grabbed me—it was the kids. I loved seeing that spark go off when they understood something. That’s when I knew. I didn’t want to teach music. I just wanted to teach.”

Now in her first year teaching fourth-grade language arts and social studies at Newton Elementary, Taylor’s enthusiasm has only deepened. “I still can’t believe I get to do this,” she says. “Some days I have to remind myself that this is real—that I get to teach for a living.”

Taylor grew up in Casey, just up the road from Newton, and attended Eastern Illinois University, where she majored in elementary education. Her connection to Jasper County Schools began early, completing her second practicum and student teaching at Newton Elementary under veteran mentors Samantha Herdes and Jamie Martin. “They taught me everything I know,” she says. “I owe so much of my confidence to them.”

When the opportunity arose to stay on as a full-time teacher, the decision came easily. “I already felt like part of the community,” she says. “Even though I wasn’t from Newton, it felt like home. Everyone’s been so welcoming.”

In the classroom, Taylor works alongside co-teacher Laura Geier, who will retire at the end of the year. “It’s like learning from a master,” Taylor says. “She’s taught me so much—not just about lesson plans and materials, but about grace. She’s helped me see that it’s okay to give myself grace when I’m learning too.”

Their shared teaching model—one teacher handling math and science, the other language arts and social studies—allows students to begin experiencing the rhythm of multiple classrooms, preparing them for junior high. “It’s a perfect setup,” Taylor explains. “It’s like a half step into middle school. The kids adjust beautifully.”

For Taylor, connection is everything. “I was nervous at first,” she admits. “When you’re young, you think, ‘What if the kids don’t take me seriously?’ But it’s been the opposite. They’ve embraced me, and I just love being with them.” Her students seem to feel the same. “We have fun,” she smiles. “Sometimes I have to remind myself I’m the adult in the room.”

Teaching, she says, is equal parts structure and spontaneity. “I thrive in chaos,” she laughs. “That’s just who I am. But I think that helps me relate to the kids—I’m a kid at heart.”

Taylor’s family includes her younger sister, now a senior at Casey-Westfield High School, studying to become a certified nursing assistant. “We both ended up in helping careers,” she says proudly. “It’s who we are—we like to take care of people.”

Looking ahead, Taylor hopes to continue growing in the profession—possibly by hosting practicum and student teachers through Eastern Illinois University, which offers graduate credit to mentor teachers. “That’s something I’d really love to do,” she says. “I want to help future teachers the way my mentors helped me.”

For now, she’s content to keep finding the spark that first drew her in—in her students’ laughter, their breakthroughs, and the small moments that make each day feel significant. “It’s a very special job,” she says quietly. “I believe I was called to do this. And I feel blessed every day that I get to.”