Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Catherine Winn

I teach (subject/grade) or your department: Honors English 1, English 4, AP Literature, and Yearbook

I've Taught for: Eleven years, I think? I taught my first classes at the University of Alabama when I was 21.

Hometown: I was a military brat. I was born in Abilene, Texas, but my family settled in Prattville when I was in third grade.

High school: Prattville High School

College/Degree: Bachelor's in English from AUM. Master's in Renaissance Studies and PhD in English from the University of Alabama. (Roll Tide.)

STJ Extracurricular (do you oversee a club/activity?): I will be the Interact Club sponsor this year, as well as the sponsor of Yearbook Club. I co-sponsor Young Democrats with Andy Clinton, and I help run FCA with the two awesome presidents, seniors Lucy Edwards and Katie Leigh Smith. Last year, I also ran Cooking Club and helped with the Speech and Debate team, but I am not doing those things this year!

Favorite Book: This is a dangerous question for a lit nerd! My favorite book of all time is The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley, but I grew up reading a variety of fantasy novels, ranging from Dragonlance books to J. R. R. Tolkien, from Mary Stewart's Arthuriana novels to Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time series, and I still adore these stories. My favorite Shakespeare plays are A Winter's Tale, All's Well that Ends Well, and Othello. These days, however, I love poetry the most--especially protest poetry. Warsan Shire is my current favorite. (Her poem about the refugee crisis, entitled "Home," is stunning in all of the ways.)

Favorite Movie: Amelie and A Very Long Engagement are my most favorites. They're both French, but they are gorgeous films.

Favorite Food: I love all food. I could eat Mexican food almost any night of the week, but I also like Ethiopian, Thai, Indian, Italian, and Greek. I also really, really love baking bread and coming up with different "signature" cakes for my friends' birthdays.

Married to: In the immortal words of Lizzo, I'm my own soulmate.

Children: Just one! Dresden is here at Saint James with me, in second grade. You will also see me with my niece (Ava Claire, 3rd Grade) and nephew (Cade, Kindergarten). They call me Aunt Duchess. It's the best.

Church: The Catalyst Community

Fun Fact: I was baptized as an adult (at 27 years old) in Trinity's cafeteria!