Erika Linford knows what it’s like to struggle as a student. “When I was in elementary school, I had a hard time learning,” she said. “I was really self-conscious and shy about it. Learning didn’t come super easily for me, so I would hide that I didn’t know.” 

 

When she started college at BYU-Idaho, she felt directionless. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” she said. 

 

Linford took a variety of general classes ranging from photography to communication to elementary education. But when she took a “Number Theory” class, everything changed. “All this stuff that didn’t ever make sense to me in elementary school suddenly clicked. I just said out loud, ‘This was it? This was it all along?!’”

 

Gaining a concrete understanding of these concepts put Linford on a new trajectory. She knew she wanted to be a teacher. 

 

“As soon as I understood these things, I had to share them with other people. So, I started working with kids, and I just loved it so much,” Linford said with a laugh. “I wanted to be a mom, and I wanted good hours. So I thought to myself, ‘Teaching is something I can do.’ But even though the hours are great, I stay for the kids. It’s really, really fun.” 

 

Twelve years of teaching later, Linford has proven to be an avid learner. In addition to her bachelor’s degree in elementary education, she has two master’s degrees, a math endorsement, and is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher. 

 

“I feel successful at school,” she said. “It challenges me, and it’s not easy. It’s different every year, and I love that! I get to be the boss, I get to organize what we do, and then I get to see the results when the kids light up because they learn something.” 

 

       

 

Linford praised her colleagues and her experience in the Cache County School District. This is her third district and her favorite. “Cache County is a breath of fresh air,” she said. “We have good families. We have good kids who work hard. This community is really special. And I’m proud to work at Cedar Ridge with really incredible teachers.”

 

More than anything else, Linford loves helping students who struggle as she did. “When I have a student who struggles emotionally or academically, I think, ‘I can make a difference.’ Together, we can turn things around a bit and instill that belief that even if they can’t do it now, they will eventually. The moment I live for is when the kids realize they can do something hard. That’s why I stay.”