From technologically helping students with their accounts in Schoology to leading Students for Humanity and many other events , Technology Specialist Cindi Payne shows a very strong commitment to Kerr. She didn’t originally begin her career in technology though.
“I was a theater teacher for the first half of my career. I started out in music and in theater”, said Mrs. Payne. “I used to used sing professionally, you could say. I used to make a good portion of my living singing out in clubs and places like that.”
Although she pursued singing and theatrical performances as the beginning of her career, Payne did not settle with that. She began working in education in Alief.
“This is my 33rd year in education and I’ve been in the [Alief] district for 29 years” said Payne. “I worked at Ollie Middle School first and then I worked at ALC [Alief Learning Center].Then I worked at Holub and I ran the Holub Technology Academy, which existed while I was there. Then I was offered a Specialist job again at ALC, and I worked there for a couple of years. At one point, the specialist program was spilt in between two schools: ALC and Kerr High School. Mr. Freeman offered me a full time the next year, and that is how I got started.”
Payne ultimately enjoys Kerr and values the time and work she puts into the school each and every day.
“It’s my 6th year here and I really love Kerr. I think it is a great environment. I would’ve gone to a school like this if I was still in school.
Although the work of being a specialist is hard enough, Payne does several outside activities as well in the community.
“I am the Event Coordinator for the greater Houston German Shepherd Dog Rescue, so I work with that group to try to help get the German Shepherds adopted out to people”, said Payne. “I do a lot of events with them. I also do the renaissance Festival, and in costume. I’ve actually done that for years. I sang with a magical group and we used to perform out there every year.”
Truly, through the many tasks and activities Payne does, she serves not only as an impacting person in the school but in the community as well.
