CFNN Reporter Kaydin Brown

Does learning a new language scare you? Our teacher of the week, Mrs. Hawks can help! Mrs. Hawks is a Spanish teacher here at Cape Fear High, she is well loved by all, and she truly loves every one of her students.

Mrs. Hawks is known throughout Cape Fear as a teacher who makes learning a new language fun and easy. She found her love for teaching mainly from her mom, but other things contributed as well. She explained how her mom led her to this career path.

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I knew I was gonna be a teacher, I just didn’t know it was gonna be specifically Spanish. I did originally want to be a kindergarten teacher, but I just knew I was always going to be one. Plus, my mom always wanted to be a teacher, but she never was able to do that, because she was always working and taking care of her mother, so she wasn’t able to go to college,” she said.

After high school, Mrs. Hawks furthered her education at Appalachian State University where she attended for 2 years. She then ended up graduating from Fayetteville Technical Community College where she received her Bachelor’s in teaching Spanish for K-12. 

Mrs. Hawks has been teaching for 23 years. She has been around teaching in all sorts of places. Mrs. Hawks has taught in Charlotte Mecklenburg, Union County, Cumberland County, Robinson County and even South Carolina. This School year she is teaching Spanish I, II, and III honors. She has taught Spanish I all the way to AP.  

Mrs. Hawks favorite part of teaching is the students. “It’s the kids, that’s why I do it. When I see them in class and then finally something that they’ve been struggling with and then finally they get it or finally they can pronounce a word. They’re like oh, and I’m like look at where you were and look at how you’re doing it now. I love seeing the growth,” she said.

Mrs. Hawks has a son and 4 granddaughters that she’s very proud of. One is 9, two of them are 4, and the youngest is 2 years old. Mrs. Hawks loves to travel and says it’s her thing. She loves to go all over the world. Mrs. Hawks has been to Japan, Hong Kong, China, France and Spain about six times, Germany, Puerto Rico, Washington, New York, and England taking a group of kids. 

Mrs. Hawks loves so many things about Cape Fear High, but most importantly to her it’s the kids here that make her day great. “The kids are excited. I haven’t been in a school in a long time that the kids actually want to learn. They feel better after they get to know me, because at first they’re kind of nervous, but then they calm down and really want to learn. I think they’re capable of doing it if they put the effort into it. I love the kids, they’re great,” she said.

It’s easy to see why Mrs. Hawks is so loved and admired here at Cape Fear High. She has helped so many students learn and grow in a new language. 

Congratulations to this week’s teacher of the week, Mrs. Hawks you deserve it!