Full Name
Erin Sledge
Where (school and city) do you teach?
Chisholm Trail High School, Fort Worth, Texas
How many years have you been advising publications?
2
How many students are involved in your media program at your school?
~15
Most unusual item in/on your desk?
A tiny jar with a glow in the dark clay ghost in it.
Favorite deadline snack?
Oreos or cake!
Favorite journalism-related website?
The JEA website for curriculum!
Three words students use to describe you?
Nice, easy-going, approachable
Last great book you read?
“Killers of the Flower Moon”
If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would it be?
I really want to go to Michigan with a tent and a camera, and spend some time outside just taking photos and reading.
Why is journalism important?
Journalism is important because we are storytellers. Journalists tell important stories, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. As journalists, part of our job is telling people things they might not want to hear, or as I tell my students, “being there to witness the worst day of someone’s life, and tell their story.”
What’s the biggest struggle you’ve had to overcome as a teacher?
Feeling like an island in my school/community. It’s better now that I have multiple high schools in my district, but Fort Worth still feels a bit like an island sometimes. We’re so far from the Dallas/Denton/Northern areas.
Who are your biggest influencers as a teacher?
My adviser, Ms. Lee, my friend Cortney Wood and of course Lisa Roskens! I met her at my first ever TAJE Fall Fiesta in 2021, and I feel like I learn something new every time I see her at events.
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