The new year always comes with new things, and in this school year, Center Hill high school has new staff! One of them being our new counselor, Geoffrey Kannady. Highlighting the new staff is very important, especially counselors, who are just as essential to the school as other staff. So, we interviewed Kannady to learn more about him and his experience at Center Hill so far.

Question: How long have you been a counselor?

Kannady: This is my 4th year. My first 3 years were at Senatobia.

Question: Have you ever taught before or just counseling?

Kannady: I went straight into counseling.

Question: Where did you go to college, and what did you study?

Kannady: University of Memphis. I studied earth science with a concentration in geography for my undergrad, and then my master’s was in school counseling.

Question: What do you like so far about Center Hill?

Kannady: I seem to like everything about it. I like that it is a school that seems to be neat and orderly, and it seems that the kids are motivated to do well academically and athletically and other things. So, it seems to be a good environment and a good culture at the school.

Question: Do you like it better than the other schools that you counsel at? Or

Kannady: I still think it’s new. I mean, I think being a counselor, you always are going to love the students wherever you are. So, it’s the idea of it being different, but I definitely do like it. I don’t know that I would ever say a better or worse, but I definitely do like it.

Question: What inspired you to become a counselor?

Kannady: A lot of years of toiling at jobs that I didn’t find an end to. And then realizing that within working in food service as a manager for a lot of years, I was a counselor, just not necessarily in a school setting, but I was helping young people either through things they’re going through on the job or off the job, or in ways like that. So, I realized it was something else already kind of doing. So might as well go back to school and get paid to do it.

Question: What is one interesting fact about you that might surprise you? 

Kannady: I briefly played college football, and I’m a father of 5 kids.

Question: What teacher or who inspired you the most?

Kannady: So as far as counseling, I don’t know, but absolutely within teaching. I had a Latin and English teacher in middle school named Ms. Eastwood. And she absolutely was an inspiration to not actually get into education, but to always push myself. 

Question: What is one life lesson you want to pass down to the students?

Kannady: The grit and perseverance are the long lasting things. Talent kind of levels itself out at some point, but the long lasting people that really make it are the people that are always the ones that fall down 4 times and get up 6 times. So just being extra gritty and always willing to persevere.