MORAN — Jada Fuhrman delayed completing her college education for 10 years to be at home with her children — a daughter, Cassidy, who is a sixth-grade student and her son, Dalton, a freshman in Uniontown schools.
Fuhrman, who is in her 40s, will receive her degree in education in December from Pittsburg State University.
Fuhrman currently is fulfilling her student teaching requirements under the watchful eye of Elaine Stewart, family and consumer science teacher at Marmaton Valley High School.
Fuhrman’s first stint in college was as an agriculture major. During her years at home with her children she ran an interior design business and had an antiques shop. When she returned to college she changed her major to family and consumer science.
“My mom always told me she thought I would be a good teacher. Of course I didn’t see the possibility of teaching until I was called one day to be a substitute teacher. By the end of the day I knew my mom was right. I wanted to be a teacher,” she said.
Fuhrman said she was familiar with many of the students at Moran through sporting events.
“I went to the junior varsity football game the other night to watch my son, who is on the Uniontown team. We played Moran so I cheered for both teams,” Fuhrman said.
Family and consumer sciences promotes life skills and
career and technology education that the students will be able to carry with them throughout their lives.
“When I was in high school we had Future Homemakers of America. All we were taught was how to cook and sew so we could be good little homemakers,” she said.
Fuhrman is also assisting Stewart with Moran’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.
“I think about half the school belongs to FCCLA,” she said.
Through FCCLA students are able to explore career possibilities while working with community members whether it be at a cake walk at Saturday’s Moran Day or through month-long cancer awareness activities that the group has planned in October.
“I have been enjoying teaching my classes. The other day one of my students came up to me and said, ‘You don’t look like a student teacher.’ I guess it’s because I’m older and don’t look like a typical college student,” Fuhrman said.
