Teri Cosentino: Ask Tough Questions

For the last nine years that I have called the valley my home, I have resisted commenting on the state of our Conway public schools. I graduated fourth in my public high school class of 200 in a blue-collar town. When I was deciding what to do with my life after high school, the guidance counselor told me I could be a nurse or a teacher, but not a scientist. I proved him wrong.

I was the first in my family to go to college. I was the first in my family to graduate from college with a science degree. My parents were hard workers, but they could not fill out college applications for me. I was on my own. I didn’t want mediocrity. I wanted excellence. I wanted to make a difference in the world.