A former bedside nurse, Caspia Sheppard said she chose to transition her career to education to share her healthcare knowledge with the next generation of future medical professionals.
“When deciding to transition from bedside nursing to education, I chose to substitute teach for a year to ‘see where I fit in.’ It was during that time frame I covered an allied health class for a week. I knew immediately that is what I wanted to do with the rest of my life,” Sheppard said. “The students were engaged, interested in the subject matter, and had defined goals for their futures. I chose to pursue an Allied Health CTE teaching certificate and help them on their learning journey.”
As a Health Science Education CTE Instructor at the Boone County Career and Technical Center, Mrs. Sheppard said the students are the best part of her job.
“It is extremely gratifying to see the students succeed, certify, and become healthcare providers. Many of them stay local and become contributing members of our local communities.”
When it comes to the success of Boone County’s education system, Mrs. Sheppard believes smaller districts have the advantage because of the level of support they can provide to students.
“The West Virginia educational system is unique in the ‘small town’ atmosphere of learning. Instructors provide more one-on-one instruction, emotional and social support, and an individualized learning path.”
As of December 2021, Mrs. Sheppard has earned her National Board Certification, which is a tremendous achievement for any educator. It is her drive and commitment to go above and beyond and continue to improve her teaching skills that makes Mrs. Sheppard so beloved by her school community.
When she isn’t busy in the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her wonderfully supportive family and her four adorable grandchildren.