For Van Alstyne High School teacher Brittany Pridemore, returning to the district where she grew up has brought her journey full circle.

A member of the VAHS Class of 2011, Pridemore attended Van Alstyne ISD from pre-K through graduation. After high school, she attended college in Waxahachie, earning a business degree before pursuing her MBA while working as an executive assistant for a pediatric home health agency.

Despite her education and experience in business, Pridemore found herself searching for a more fulfilling career.

She eventually discovered a passion for teaching, beginning her career in education as a middle school science teacher in Anna. When a teaching position opened at Van Alstyne High School, she saw an opportunity to return to the district that had helped shape her future.

Today, Pridemore teaches business and career preparation courses at VAHS, helping students develop many of the same skills she learned during her own time in the district.

She credits the relationships she built with her teachers with helping prepare her for life beyond high school.

Now, as an educator herself, Pridemore hopes to make that same kind of impact on the next generation of Panthers.

"The students. The relationships that I build with them. That's the best part of the job," Pridemore said. "You know that you impacted someone's life, and you know that what you did that day matters."

For Pridemore, returning to Van Alstyne means more than teaching in a familiar community. It's an opportunity to give back to the place she has always called home.

Watch the latest installment of our Alumni Spotlight series to hear more about her journey from VA student to VA teacher.