Leeann Fragosa

Many people assume they understand what it means to be a teacher simply because everyone has had a teacher in their lives. The reality is, one can only grasp the challenges and responsibilities of teaching by experiencing the job firsthand. When I taught second grade, I experienced students with various learning needs. A teacher’s role is to meet students where they are, and it can be difficult when every single student is different. I had students who were reading chapter books and others who were still learning to read. I had students who were struggling with addition and subtraction, while others were speeding through multiplication and division. Learning is not a one-size-fits-all system....

Many people assume they understand what it means to be a teacher simply because everyone has had a teacher in their lives. The reality is, one can only grasp the challenges and responsibilities of teaching by experiencing the job firsthand. When I taught second grade, I experienced students with various learning needs. A teacher’s role is to meet students where they are, and it can be difficult when every single student is different. I had students who were reading chapter books and others who were still learning to read. I had students who were struggling with addition and subtraction, while others were speeding through multiplication and division. Learning is not a one-size-fits-all system....

As the year comes to an end, I can’t help but reflect on everything I have experienced and accomplished this year. There are many instances, both in my career and in my personal life, when I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I worked on patience and kindness, prioritized my mental and emotional health, and learned to say “no” even when it was hard. I focused on musical growth and surprised myself. Let’s take a walk down Leeann’s 2025 memory lane. At the beginning of this year, I was still a teacher. I was teaching second grade at Boonesborough Elementary School. The other day, I was looking for a specific video...

Buddy the Elf famously said, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” If you haven’t made time to attend a concert, enjoy a Christmas play, or even just watch a holiday movie with your family, especially one filled with music, you might be missing out on the true spirit of the season. I was convinced my band days were over when I graduated from the University of the Cumberlands in May of 2024. I was so surprised and excited when I saw they were doing a community band for Christmas. That meant I didn’t have to be a student to play music with them. I...

The month of November is a time to express gratitude and recognize the dedication and hard work people put in. The week of Nov. 17 – 21 was American Education Week. American Education Week is a time when the community pauses to give thanks and recognize the hard work educators put into ensuring a quality education for all students. As a former educator, I have personal connections and experiences to this week. I recently read an op-ed titled “The Unseen Heart of Public Education,” written by Rhonda Caldwell, CEO of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators. It’s a great article, and I highly encourage everyone to read it. Caldwell’s article illustrated the weight...

I don’t know about you, but I had the best Halloween ever. From dressing up as Enid Sinclair from Wednesday to karaoke, celebrating my friend’s birthday, and joining the University of the Cumberlands (UC) community band as an alum, this past week was terror-ific in the best way possible. The day before Halloween, my sister and I went costume shopping. We explored the entire store but instantly got hooked on the Wednesday costumes. Wednesday has become a favorite show for both of us since its latest season came out recently. I decided to be the character Enid since I recently added peek-a-boo pink to my blonde hair. I didn’t plan to...

This past week was busy in the best possible way, and I wanted to share three events I attended. I attended the Whitley Area Retired Teachers’ Association (WARTA) meeting, the Ghost Tour at the Corbin Public Library (CPL), and watched the Corbin High School (CHS) Marching band compete at the Quarterfinals at South Laurel High School. The WARTA meeting was something I didn’t know existed until recently. For those who don’t know, I taught for one year, which is why this meeting interested me. I walked in feeling a bit nervous since I didn’t know anyone. President Meg Judd greeted us, encouraging everyone to introduce themselves along with an interesting fact....

One of the best parts about working for the News Journal is the places I get to go and the different people I get to meet. One of those places that I was able to attend this week was the Louisville Orchestra performance during their In Harmony tour stop at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park on Friday, Sept. 19. The event drew people from all over the world, all there for different reasons, whether it was the music itself, the art, or nature, or perhaps a blend of all three. I met individuals who had been there more times than they could count, and some individuals who had never been there at...

You have probably heard of the Backpack Club. Whether you were a backpack kid yourself or knew someone who was, odds are you are familiar with the positive impact it has on children in need. I witnessed this impact firsthand when I visited the Corbin Community Backpack Program on Monday, Sept. 15. I saw around 12 volunteers from the University of the Cumberlands (UC) show up to help the program fill bags of food for children in need. Crates quickly filled up with food that would go directly to kids who need it in Whitley and Knox counties. Each UC volunteer took turns adding different food items to a bag, which...

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom used to sing to me when I was little. I’d sit in our living room messing around with her big Yamaha keyboard, fascinated by how her fingers made these beautiful chords while mine just… didn’t. I wanted to learn. I was in elementary school when she started teaching me chords, and before long, I was playing and singing in church. That spark grew into something bigger as I got older. In seventh grade, I joined the high school marching band and picked the flute as my instrument. At the time, it was the cheapest...