Calculated Decisions, Incalculable Impact

When asked what inspired her to become an educator, Holly Mitchell offers an answer that is refreshingly devoid of standard, poetic platitudes. Instead, she offers the logical, pragmatic truth of a working mother.

“The teaching profession just made so much sense,” she smiled. “You get to have the same schedule as your kids. You might not get paid as much, but you get to be home with them. It might not sound like the standard, passionate answer, but that is what drew me to the profession. And,” she added, “it was a great choice1 Being a teacher has worked out so well with all the other dreams I wanted to pursue.”

Holly’s practical decision twenty-three years ago turned out to be a winning lottery ticket for Green Canyon High School. This year, the school is proud to celebrate Mrs. Mitchell—a powerhouse of the mathematics department—as the 2025-26 Teacher of the Year. 

Mitchell’s commitment to her family is core to her identity. She spent ten years raising her children at home. But once her youngest entered kindergarten, she began substitute teaching, earning a full-time position the very next year. From that point forward, Mitchell’s career mirrored her children’s education.

“I made sure I was at their schools,” Mitchell explains. “Teaching at their school meant they could come in and eat lunch in my classroom with their friends... As they grew up and moved schools, I would just follow them up! I’ve never worked at a school where at least one of my kids wasn’t attending.”

With her youngest son now a senior at Green Canyon, the natural question arose: Will she leave when he does? Mitchell’s answer is an emphatic no. “I’ll absolutely stay here. I love this school.”

Mitchell’s presence in the math department is the result of another highly practical pivot. She initially studied Exercise and Sport Science, but when life and a marriage required a university transfer, her major required an emphasis: education or personal training. Once she chose education, a slew of pathways opened up.

“They told me to pick a marketable minor unless I planned on coaching every sport, and they suggested physics, chemistry, or math," she recalls. "I figured, I can do math. So, I did. I do! And it has been really fun.”

She jokes that she eventually tried to pivot back to elementary physical education, but high school PE jobs are notoriously hard to come by because "those teachers are healthy, take care of themselves, and work forever!"

Ultimately, teaching mathematics became a calling. What began simply as a "marketable subject" has become a profoundly student-centered philosophy. At Green Canyon, she has stepped into a vital role as the math department’s only English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL)- endorsed educator.

“Holly truly does so much to help the multilingual students!” Principal Jim Crosbie shared. “She is willing to run a tutorial, she keeps track of students in Wolfpack who can't attend tutorial, and she really does an excellent job helping kids recover assignments and grades. She also helped her department integrate more language in math using guided notes. We all appreciate her.”

For Mitchell, these extra initiatives are opportunities to feed her appetite for lifelong learning. “It’s one of the things I love most about teaching,” she said. I started out learning about math, but now I’m doing ESL tutorials, so I’m learning about different languages," she says. "Teaching has truly been the catalyst for it.”

Having previously taught in environments like Las Vegas, where teachers face heavy administrative scrutiny and low parental alignment, Mitchell is quick to credit the unique culture of Green Canyon for her longevity and lack of burnout.

“The first thing I noticed when moving here is that you are treated like a professional," Mitchell reflects. "At other schools, I felt like they didn't trust you... Here, they know I get my job done. They trust you. I absolutely love that.”

She urges anyone entering the profession today to choose their district with immense care, noting that a supportive community of parents and administrators is what ultimately allows a teacher to thrive rather than burn out.

“Coming to this district, I felt an immense value for education and a deep respect for teachers from both students and parents. It is so refreshing... It just makes you think about what a cool community this is—one where we are always growing, learning, developing, changing, and opening ourselves up to new things.”

The Green Canyon community is fortunate to have such a dedicated teacher. Thank you, Mrs. Mitchell!