Jessie Weaver arrived at Darlington in 2014. Since her arrival she has taught two courses in math, coached the Lady Tigers softball team, and serves as an assistant coach to the golf team. She holds a B.S. in Business Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and she has also continued to further her education by pursuing a master's degree in The Art of Teaching with a focus on Secondary Education (Mathematics) from the University of Phoenix.
Did you always aspire to be a math teacher? What set you on the path of education?
No, I actually didn’t know I wanted to teach until about two years ago. Growing up and through college teaching never crossed my mind. I went to Georgia Tech and got a bachelor's in business management and a concentration in marketing. I wanted to work in the corporate world and travel. After getting some experience in this field at both Georgia Power and Shaw Industries I realized this was not what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I wanted to be somewhere I felt I could truly make an impact. After talking to a good friend of mine about this, they encouraged me to go get my master's and become a teacher and coach. I have loved every minute of it and truly feel it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.
What is something fun that many of your students may not know about you outside of the classroom?
Something fun that my students do not know about me is that I love to sing karaoke. I am not great at it, but I love it!
What was your experience like at Georgia Tech, from an academic and sports perspective?
My four years at Georgia Tech were both a challenge and fun. Being a student athlete at a major Division I school is an experience in itself. Throughout my time at Tech I learned so much about myself and learned skills I still use today. It taught me discipline, time management, how to give back to the community, and how to push myself further than I have ever done before. Being able to share my college experience with my team was so much fun and I would not have wanted to go to college any other way. Another thing I learned at Tech was how to network and build relationships with people in the workforce. The people I met along the way not only impacted my success at Tech, but helped form who I am today both professionally and personally.
When did you start playing softball? What inspired you to pursue the game at a collegiate level?
I started playing ball when I was 4 years old. I have an older brother that played baseball and I grew up at the parks. I started out playing t-ball, then played boys' baseball until I was 10 because fastpitch was not around here yet. When I got to 12 and under, I switched over to softball. Until about the eighth grade I wanted to play college basketball, but the more I got into softball I changed my focus and heart over to softball. My parents played a huge role in my success. I played all over the country when I was in high school and was recruited by several Division I schools, but when it came down to my decision I wanted to play at Tech. I felt by going to Tech I could play at a top 25 program, get a great education, and my family could always come and watch me play. When I was a freshman at Tech my parents bought a RV and traveled all over to watch me play. It was a great experience to be able to still play the game I loved and have my family there every step of the way.
Which do you prefer more, coaching or playing softball?
