Hello! I am Annie John, and I am blessed to have the opportunity to represent the CE Foundation on this journey. It is an experience that I will carry with me in both my personal and professional life.

I currently teach a 2/3 Highly Capable class in the Federal Way School District, and truly love my job. I am fortunate to be able to have a huge impact on these future leaders of America. Prior to leading the HiCap program, I taught fifth grade for five years. In addition to my classroom position, I also serve on the school and district leadership boards. Through the Highly Capable leadership team, I am able to serve students on a larger scale and impact the educational community from within.

Over the past few years, our schools have become more culturally diverse, and will continue to grow in this direction. Building relationships with students is one of the core focuses of my teaching philosophy – and I believe that we must understand a child’s cultural background in order to fully bridge together the relationship. Having little background in Chinese culture, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to learn through experience, the impact Chinese history and culture has on daily life.

When I am not in my classroom, I am working on my PhD at the University of Washington. In addition, my daughter and I love to take day trips to obscure farmers markets, hike, travel, and read. I am looking forward to sharing this summer’s experiences with my students in hopes that it inspires them to learn more about the remarkable Chinese culture