Golden Apple: Dena Cason

EVANS, Ga (WJBF)

Dena Cason is the ideal middle school teacher. She embraces her job here at Greenbrier Middle and she embraces the opportunity to shape all these young lives.

“I love middle school,” Cason says. “I actually started teaching middle school in the 90’s. And people would say to me all the time, ‘you’re crazy to teach middle school,’ but they’re kind of the sweet spot. They still listen to you. And they’re just a fun group.”

Mrs. Cason knows this is a pivotal time in her students’ lives.

“They’re kind of trying to figure out who they are. Trying to figure out relationships, going through a lot of changes emotionally, physically. And it’s really a crucial time for teachers to invest in them.”
Part of that investment includes keeping the curriculum engaging, even entertaining.
“We have videos. We allow them to do things on the computer. We use games, and just a lot of different things. And we try to develop a love for reading and writing.”

And it starts with a lot of love at home. A support system that helps Dena Cason and her students be successful.
“My family means the world to me,” she says. “The family that’s here and my extended family too. They’ve supported me through my teaching. Also, I completed a degree this Summer to be better at what I do. And I 100-percent could not have done it without my family.”

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