Susannah Wagner

Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

High School theatre changed the trajectory of my life forever, thanks to one good teacher (Mrs. Kim Fielder Jones!). She inspired me to go to college and pursue a career in theater and I'm passionate about passing on that legacy to students of my own. Theatre enables me to teach my students skills like empathy, media literacy, problem-solving skills and building relationships that will last a lifetime.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

In 2024 my students put on the play "Booby Trap" by Ed Monk for theatre competition. It's a very serious, suspenseful military drama. Being in a military town, it was an honor to create a show that paid homage to the sacrifices service members make every day. The entire military community at 71st rallied around the show and supported us by talking with the kids, donating uniforms, and attending the show. The students did amazing and we even won 3 awards at the competition. I'm so proud of them!

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would invest all of the money into updating our auditorium starting with all new sound equipment, enough body mics so we never have to rent again, and lighting equipment for the 21st century. Our students have been learning on a lightboard from 1995, and that puts us at a huge disadvantage when going to perform at other schools with new digital equipment. It would make an immeasurable difference in the education of my students and that's the greatest gift I can give them.