By: Lindsey Lampel and Kylee Hoffman

When asked what is one thing you would like all your students to know, Oakland Mills’ newest English teacher and assistant cheer coach, Ms. Veltre said, “I’m just as human as you are”. Ms. Veltre has a super bright personality and can make your day better just by saying “Hey!” to you in the halls. Transferring from Thomas Viaduct Middle, she is excited to be here at OM and teach English to her new (and previous) students.

Growing up in Carroll County, Ms.Veltre was and still is a very adventurous soul. When she would go out with her friends, they would put themselves in potentially dangerous situations for fun. “We were very adventurous…we would be on…4 wheelers or…on…golf carts… any reason to kind of get outside,” she stated. While she loved to be anywhere else but home, her house was a base for her friends to escape their outside lives. 

Throughout high school, Ms. Veltre worked at her gym in the daycare center for kids whose parents were using the facilities. It was there where she learned how to watch after multiple kids at once and manage a room full of people. 

Just like any kid, Ms. Veltre played school with her friends and siblings. Unlike most, however, she used that little game of school to inspire her career. She didn’t always know that she wanted to teach English. Believe it or not, she was not super confident in her reading and writing skills until the 8th grade. Ms. Veltre’s 8th grade reading teacher gave her the confidence to advance her reading skills, and that is why she decided to teach English in middle and high schools.

After graduating high school, Ms. Veltre attended Howard Community College for two years and from there she went to the University of Maryland to finish her degree in English. She also attended graduate school at UMD and received her degree in Curriculum and Instruction. When describing her college experience, she stated, “HCC allows you to transfer to any college in Maryland and all your credits go…seamlessly.” She also said, “Maryland was great… they offer… a lot.” One of her greatest inspirations is Professor Michael Olmert at UMD. He helped shape her English Career, so she suggests that if you attend, or plan on attending UMD, you should look into taking one of his courses.

Ms. Veltre loves to travel and you can see it throughout her classroom. She enjoys warm weather and visits her brother in Florida regularly. Her younger brother is one of the biggest inspirations in her life. She shared that watching him grow up is something that she is proud of. She is also inspired by seeing her old students and how far they have come. 

While she loves to travel, Ms. Veltre has two mini long-haired doxens named Milo and Odie here in Maryland that are hard to leave. She also loves to care for her friend’s son, Jackson, and is so proud of him and how much he has grown!

You can find Ms. Veltre in her classroom or on the football field for cheer! She is very great to talk to, easy going and wants to help all her students succeed, so if you’re feeling adventurous, stop by room 304!