Beauty Revived 50 Most Beautiful Teachers
As one of the photographers for Beauty Revived's 50 Most Beautiful Teachers campaign, I was asked to select and photograph one teacher in my community in an effort to honor them and celebrate their real beauty. For those of you that know me, I am sure that it is no surprise that I selected my sister. Not only is she an amazing teacher (20+ years!), but a wife of 18 years and mother of three. She has conquered some pretty significant health goals this past year and I wanted to show her just how beautiful I think she is.
Beauty Revived is a community of photographers with a desire to use their lens for good. This community uses photography to tell stories of real women with real beauty that inspire and uplift. It is an honor to be a part of this campaign featuring teachers. My images and article are featured here as well.
I love you Kari!
Meet Kari Hammond.
She’s been a teacher for over 20 years and can’t imagine life without this career. She’s taught Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades. She’s also been a music/PE specialist, art specialist, and reading specialist. She even spent several years teaching future teachers at the university level. All these years later, Kari is still motivated to get up and go to work, because teaching offers something new and challenging every single day.
Kari’s first memories of wanting to become a teacher began in 3rd grade. Kari was having a hard time at school and her teacher, Mrs. Veale, made all the difference in her ability to learn, because of the personal interest and attention she gave her. Then it was Mr. Nord, her high school math teacher, who made her feel important and capable. She also remembers a college advisor, Doris Leibert, who pushed her and truly believed in her abilities. These teachers loved Kari as a person and believed in her as a student, making all the difference. They sparked a desire in her to someday share the same kind of love and compassion in her own classroom.
Kari hopes that all of her students would be able to reflect back on their experience in her classroom and know that she believed in them, expected their best, and loved them no matter what. When Kari was teaching 1st grade, she had a student named Jerry that came from a particularly difficult home life. At the end of the year she asked all the students to write down the things they learned that year. Jerry wrote, “ I learned love.” This is one of her greatest moments in teaching.
In addition to teaching Kari is a wife of 18 years and mother of three. When she isn’t in the classroom, you will find her driving her boys (age 12 and 14) back and forth to soccer practice and games or watching her daughter (age 16) perform on the high school dance team. She recently built a new home with her husband and loves to travel with her family. Life is incredible, but also extremely busy.
Last fall, Kari decided to leave her full-time teaching job for a part-time reading specialist position. For the first time in years, Kari had more freedom in her day-to-day life. This new schedule allowed her to go for walks with friends and provided time to focus on meal planning. In January she set a goal to take better care of herself and her health. She committed to making a change and started a regular exercise plan and made significant changes to her diet. Nine months later, she has successfully lost 64 lbs (*update over 70 lbs now!) and is healthier and happier than she has ever been. Kari worked hard to achieve her goals and is an inspiration to all those around her.
When I learned I was selected to participate in this campaign, I knew immediately that I would choose Kari for my teacher. I have known her all of my life and what a blessing it is to have someone like Kari as my sister. We are both wives and mothers and there is just nothing greater than being able to share life as sisters and best friends. I am incredibly proud of my sister and admire the way she loves the Lord, her family, and her students. She is Beauty Revived.
KC England Photography is located in Spokane, WA and serves family, senior, and wedding clients.
