Growing up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, English teacher Amy Bower enjoyed getting to know one of the oldest cities in the United States. Lancaster is not only filled with history, but also known as being an Amish county. This is where she lived most of her childhood.
“High school was okay. I did not particularly like the girls in my grade–they were snobby and petty–so I hung out with either the boys or students two classes above me,” said Bower.
Although she had trouble making friends with people her age, she still strived to be an active member in her high school, being a part of choir, performing in every musical, participating in school plays, sprinting in track, and even playing basketball. While Bower loved playing basketball, an injury she sustained to her knee made it impossible for her to continue a career in the sport.
“I refused to get the surgery that would have allowed me to keep playing. I figured with my height, I wasn’t going pro,” said Bower.
After high school, Bower attended a variety of colleges. The first college she attended was Temple University in Pennsylvania. After this, she went to Widener School Of Law in Delaware, and following that, she took classes at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, before attending Millersville University, also located in Pennsylvania. She finished with a masters program at Averett University, in Danville, Virginia.
Among her degrees include an undergraduate degree in Business with a concentration in Business Law. Bower also obtained a post-bacclaureate degree in Elementary Education and Secondary English, and a masters degree in Administration and Supervision. She is currently working towards her PhD in Educational Leadership. Although she’s often busy with schooling, she still makes sure she makes time for what she enjoys.
“After school, I like to hop on my treadmill to unwind and then do a little reading before cooking dinner. Sometimes my husband and I will watch a TV series in the evenings, but that is rare,” shared Bower. Her current hobbies include making homemade pasta or spending time with her family and dogs.
Bower wasn’t always an English teacher. First, she was a cashier at Giant, and then a sales associate at Boscov’s, a department store. After that, she was a paralegal at a law firm, and taught kindergarten, second, and fifth grade, as well as being a director at a Christian school.
“When I first moved to Virginia, I worked as a long-term substitute at Carysbrook and the middle school before being hired full-time as an English teacher here at the high school,” said Bower.
Bower has a brother, her mom and step father’s son, who’s 11 years younger than her.
“I have been married to my amazing husband for almost 25 years. He is an architect and it was his job that brought us to Virginia,” said Bower. She has two daughters, both of whom are attending Liberty University. Her oldest daughter is completing her masters program in epidemiology, while her youngest daughter is finishing her degree in interior design.
She also has two dogs and a cat. Her four-year-old dog is a Pit-Lab mix, and her three-year-old dog is an Aussie-Lab mix who can be a lot for her to handle at times. “Her newest thing is to imitate the sound of a fire engine when she hears one,” said Bower.
Meanwhile, her cat loves watching the world, and attacking anyone who enters her house. “My cat is terrifying to everyone but my husband and me,” said Bower.
