Mickayla Jackson is our new Science teacher. Jackson teaches Biology, Honors Biology, and Zoology/Botany. She has been with us since last July of 2022.

Jackson is very grateful for this chance to work at our school and hopes to make a good lasting impression on her students.

“The reason why I got into teaching is so that I could make a difference in people’s lives,” Jackson said.

Mr. Austin Ferguson, our assistant principal, was Jackson’s physical science and biology teacher during her high school years. Jackson reached out to Ferguson for a letter of recommendation for Graduate school to go into education. It was there that Ferguson sent her an application to be our new biology teacher. This was possible because she already had a Bachelor’s degree in biology due to her last job as a Patient Care Tech in the burns, trauma, and surgery ICU at Barnes Jewish Hospital.

“It’s kind of cheesy but I think that teaching is 100% what I am supposed to do. I want to help people, I want to make some kind of difference in people’s lives,” Jackson said.”

Jackson has two older siblings, a brother and a sister, and one younger sister. One of her most memorable moments from when she was younger was when she was on the dance team and they performed a father-daughter dance. The father and daughter had to learn a dance and perform it in front of the whole school. Jackson’s stepdad was very shy. Since he was shy, Jackson told him to the back of the auditorium away from the audience. He didn’t believe that was the back of the auditorium so he ended up going to the front of the auditorium with Jackson. The two ended up performing right in front of the whole school.

“He thought I was lying to him so he took himself and myself straight to the front of the whole school so we got to do the dance together in front of the whole school. It was fun though,” Jackson said.

Jackson enjoys all things art. From drawing and painting to photography. Hot yoga is one of her favorite ways to work out. Jackson likes to train for the famous reality competition show America Ninja Warrior for fun. She loves to read and listen to audiobooks.

“From like mid-September, when the weather got a little bit chilly, I decided to read Harry Potter. I finished it right after Halloween,” Jackson said.

Emily Hill is our new Social Studies teacher. Hill teaches Government, Honors Government, Psychology, and AP European History. She has taught for 11 years but this is her first year at Hancock.

Hill grew up on a farm in Pevely, Missouri. She lived with her mother, father, and five siblings. Hill is the oldest of her siblings. On that farm, they had horses, cows, and pigs. The family had mostly every farm animal but chickens. Chickens are very “dirty” and “smelly” she recalls.

“I grew up on a farm. It wasn’t as brutal as you’ll hear from some people where they wake up at 4:30 a.m. and milk the cows and all that kind of stuff,” Hill said.

When Hill was little, she wanted to be a teacher. She has always wanted to be a teacher. Her mother was a math teacher. Growing up listening to her mother’s stories about teaching really inspired her to become a teacher. Hill always wanted to do something meaningful with her life. She felt teaching would meet that goal.

“I like history and always want to teach history because it’s people. My mom’s a math teacher, which is ironic because I don’t like math,” Hill said.

Hill loves to go on motorcycle trips with her husband and two kids, ages 4 and 7. It’s a family tradition passed on from her parents to her, then on to her kids. Hill has been to every state in the U.S. Colorado is her favorite state she has visited. The Rocky Mountains are one of the reasons it is her favorite. They are “beautiful” and can be seen from a “huge distance away.”

“The snowy capped mountains is all year round regardless of the time. It’s so pretty. It’s hard to even explain. But the Badlands in South Colorado is also super,” Hill said.

On special occasions, Hill likes to enjoy a shrimp cocktail. Her husband usually will buy her one when the occasion calls. Hill does not have a favorite food. She enjoys all food as long as it is flavorful. In her family, spicy food is a favorite too.

“Otherwise I just like food in general. I’ll eat just about anything,” Hill said.