Do you love your job? FCHS culinary teacher Delores Carr does. Carr has been at Fluvanna for several years, and during this time she has enjoyed teaching at Fluvanna High more than she could have ever imagined — even if she never planned to become a teacher.

Carr went to college as a nutritionist initially, changing her major shortly thereafter. She received her EDD Doctorate in education from Liberty University, with a focus being on Curriculum and Instruction. While looking for a job, Carr sent in a mail application to Richmond, expecting to get a job there, but was referred to a teaching spot in Fluvanna County instead. While she had intended to get a job as an administrator, Carr took the teaching job and became FCHS’s culinary teacher.

Carr has two children. While she was receiving her doctorate, her daughter, who was overseas, had a child, and Carr elected to take care of her granddaughter. “I was taking care of my mom at the same time,” Carr explained. “It was a very hectic time.”

When asked why she loves FCHS so much, she pulled no punches. “I love the community here,” she said, “and the school is great because the learning process isn’t disrupted.” When asked to clarify, she noted that other schools often have too many activities that take away from learning. “Fluvanna is very student-driven. It’s for the students, and I love that.”

Although she didn’t go into college expecting to teach, it has become her passion. “I don’t care about the money, I just love being here,” she said. Incredibly optimistic about her job, Carr cites the students of Fluvanna as her favorite part. “The students are all well behaved. They’re enthusiastic and I love working with them.” She intends to apply for an administrative job in the future.

Her love of the area doesn’t just extend to the school, however. “I love Charlottesville,” Carr said, “the culture and diversity is amazing. There’s so much history there.” Carr intends to stay in Fluvanna and Charlottesville long as she can.

When asked for a fun fact about herself, Carr laughed. “I come from a family of eleven siblings,” she said. “It was difficult, but I’m very grateful.” FCHS students, grades 10 through 12, can apply for Carr’s Culinary class or her Intro to Culinary for students new to the concept of cooking. While it is not required to take Intro before Culinary, she reminded students that seniors can only take the Intro class, unless they’ve taken Culinary in the past.

Carr is very big on diversity and loves the melting pot that the United States has become. She offered a few words of wisdom for anyone willing to hear them: “If everyone at your table looks like you, acts like you, thinks like you, your world is too small.”