Dr. Volk has become a part of the Horace Hawk team as the new vice principal. In an interview, I had the chance to get to know her better.

Volk is originally from Mandan, ND. She attended Bismarck State College then went on to University of Minnesota for her Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education and a Masters in Reading. Finally, Volk received her Doctorate at University of North Dakota in Teaching and Learning with a cognate in Educational Leadership.

When I asked Volk if she had ever thought of studying something else, she answered that at first, she had no idea what to pursue when she got to college. Marine biology and music or art therapy were subjects that she had considered, but she chose education because she wanted to help learners see that they can do anything if they put their mind to it.

After college, Volk got married and began teaching. Occupations before being Dean included teaching 4^th grade, 6^th grade, 7^th and 8^th grade English. When asked if her current career was something she had thought she would be doing, Dr. Volk replied she didn’t think she’d be in school administration. Volk emphasized that each stage of her career helped her learn more and said that her next goal was to “Support students, teachers, and families to ensure all students are ready for their next step after high school.”

I asked Dr. Volk what brought her to Horace High School. She answered that the city of Horace has a powerful sense of community and the staff at Horace are creating that same atmosphere of belonging. She is excited to help build academic pathways and discover authentic learning for the future. Supporting students in helping them find what they can do is something she is most excited to make a difference in.

When asked about the importance of school traditions she highlighted the building of school spirit and sense of belonging, “School traditions help build school spirit and a sense of belonging in our school community. Traditions are also important because they give younger students something to look forward to as they get closer to high school.”

As our interview ended, I asked Dr. Volk what advice she wanted to give to the students, “Do not be afraid to make mistakes. Make the mistake, own it, and then use what you learned from that mistake to be the best you can be.”