Faculty Alum Friday: Shelia Achee, Class of 1982

BRHSF: How long have you work at Baton Rouge High School?

SA: 29 years as a coach and 26 on staff as a teacher

BRHSF: Why did you choose to work at BRHS?

SA: It is a great school, with a great tradition. Also, I love to ensure that the quality of education I received here will continue on to the next few generations of students.

BRHSF: How did BRHS prepare you for college and/or your career?

SA: BRHS taught me how to be determined and strong-willed in my pursuits. It prepared me for college, in that I already knew what deadlines, good study habits, time management and problem solving were all about. It helped prepare me in my career because it set a standard of excellence for education, and I try each and every day to offer my students educational opportunities that meet that standard.

BRHSF: What activities were you involved in as a student at BRHS?

SA: Woods and Waters and Swim team

BRHSF: What teachers or staff influenced you as a student at BRHS and how?

SA: Coach Marie Williams really taught me to chase my dreams and never give up on them. She also taught me the fine line between fun and competition and that there is room for both in athletics.

Lorinda DeVries taught me that no matter how hard you think things are, you can in fact learn them if you just work at it.

BRHSF: What is a fun fact, embarrassing moment, or funny story about yourself from high school or now?

SA: Probably one of the funniest things about high school was the fact that every morning we started 1st hour off at the YMCA pool; so, getting dressed we would have so many extension cords pulled in together to dry our hair that we would constantly blow the circuit breaker at the Y. They would always come in to fuss about who had too many things plugged in, and there would be no driers out because we could get them all picked up within a minute.

BRHSF:  What advice would you give current students?

SA: Anything is possible if you work hard enough at it. Do your best at what you are doing now, so you can reap the benefits of it later.