Liberty graduate and high school teacher in Northern Virginia receives multiple awards

As a captain of her hockey team with three more years of eligibility and an honors student with an opportunity to become a graduate assistant and pursue a tuition-free master’s degree, alumna Karis Hicks thought she had her life plans figured out.

But God was gently calling her elsewhere. So, without an available job or clear direction, Hicks withdrew her original plans of graduate school and ventured into the unknown, relying on God for provision.

The Family and Consumer Sciences graduate, who grew up loving cold weather in her small New Hampshire town, didn’t think God would eventually lead her to teach in Woodbridge, Va., where the weather is warmer and the population is larger than her hometown.

“It’s not at all where I would have expected to be, but I can look back over the past years and see how faithful God has been and how much He’s grown me,” said Hicks, a FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) teacher at Gar-Field Senior High School in Woodbridge. “It makes complete sense that this is exactly where He wanted me and where He wants me still, even if it wasn’t where I would have chosen to be. … I absolutely love my school.”

This past summer, as more confirmation of her calling, Hicks received the Outstanding New Teacher of the Year Award from the Virginia Association for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences. She then went on to be nominated for and receive the New Teacher of the Year Award from the Virginia Association for Career and Technical Educators in January.

This accolade, she said, was unexpected but validation that God was using her to make a difference in her students’ lives.

“The award came as a bit of a shock,” she said. “That recognition is people seeing you use the gifts that God has given you well.”

While a student at Liberty, Hicks participated in many extracurricular activities. In addition to working and paying her way through school, she was also on her hall leadership team and earned her place on Liberty’s ACHA Division II women’s ice hockey team.

Hicks said she was thankful to attend Liberty and pursue a degree program that allowed her to combine education with the diverse topics of Family and Consumer Sciences. She received her licensure through the School of Education, with a minor in family and child development.

“I love the topics of Family and Consumer Sciences, and I had no idea that FACS and teaching could go together at Liberty,” said Hicks, who originally enrolled as an elementary education student but was excited to change to FACS her sophomore year. She said the swap felt like the perfect fit.

Hicks is licensed to teach K-12 FACS, which covers a broad number of topics, including child development, nutrition, life planning, culinary arts, and more. She is in her fourth year as a FACS teacher at Gar-Field. She also leads both the Individual Development and Nutrition Wellness curriculum planning teams.

Hicks said she begins every day by praying for her students’ well-being and that they may see Christ through her. She said that her professors at Liberty exemplified a strong Christ-like character, and that she hopes to replicate a similar attention when working with her students.

“I never had a professor who didn’t care. I can’t think of a professor at Liberty who was uncaring or unsympathetic,” Hicks said. “They would challenge me, but they were also there for me and would always listen. Even more than they realize it, that impacted me to make sure I’m extending mercy, grace, patience, and love to my students here. Their love and care for me as a college student helped me become a better teacher.”

“This is not where I would have picked to teach going into education,” she added. “But I know it’s exactly where God wants me.”