Lackland ISD’s Librarian and Media Specialist Tiffany Walderman proudly calls herself a Military Brat. It’s what makes her so relatable and why she won the Excel Award.
Tiffany says her personal experience has helped shape who she is today, as a strong teacher and mentor, to other children who come from military families.
The library at Lackland Elementary is like a second home to Walderman with a rainbow of possibilities. “A library is really an important and a special place and it holds the keys that can open a lot of doors for kids. “
Through the many rows of books, you’ll find a variety of stuffed animals, a makeshift campfire, and even a technologically advanced setup using sound effects and Apps to assist her while reading to her classes. Students say Walderman inspires them to embrace and enjoy reading.
Many of the kids here have a story to share. Most of them have moved to San Antonio from a different state or country. They’ve traveled from place to place and attended multiple schools. “I was born in England, then I came to Virginia then I went back to England,” said Easton, who’s just 7 years old and now one of Walderman’s students in San Antonio.
Walderman can relate. “I was born in Germany. I’m not really from anywhere. We moved a lot, growing up with so many unknown factors of where’s your parent going to be next week or next month? it’s a really heavy burden for these kids.”
“We become the support system,” Walderman said, “they’re very vocal. Some of them definitely feel like they need and want to share and it means a lot to me to be able to talk with them.”
By Sloan Patterson, Texas State University
