Annie Griffith has returned to John Sevier Middle School. The former chorus teacher is back to once again take the reigns of the chorus class, as well as Sevier’s new theater class.

Griffith had taught at other schools, but never really enjoyed the experience. Sevier, however, is different.

“There hasn’t been a school I’ve worked at that I haven’t loved, but there’s something different about JSMS that I can’t exactly put into words,” she said. “I never imagined that I would get to be back at Sevier, but I’m so thankful I am.”

When she first worked at the school in the Spring of 2019, she had a lot of fun teaching.

“My classes were incredible and so were the other teachers I worked with,” Griffith said. “Getting the call that I got the job and was able to have the same position that I loved back, I was super happy. The environment at JSMS is so uplifting and encouraging and the students here are so much fun to teach.”

Griffith has always loved music, and singing especially. Her family was very musical, so she was raised around music.

“My family says all the time that I started singing before I could even talk, so I like to think that this was something I was meant to do from the beginning,” she said.

In middle school, she finally figured out singing wasn’t just a hobby for her.

“I struggled a lot with that, though, because my middle school choir teacher wasn’t very encouraging and so I doubted myself,” she said.

When Griffith made her way to high school, everything changed for her. Her choir director was very supportive.

“She was the one who really pushed me to go beyond what I thought I could with music,” she said. “She saw my potential and talent and helped me form it into what it is now. She is 100% the reason I’m a chorus teacher and decided to go into music education.”

Griffith believes that everyone deserves someone like that in their life.

Griffith loved being in plays and directing plays, as well, so she’s a natural fit for the theater class.

“I think that choir and theater work closely together and I love being able to combine two things that are so much fun for me,” she said.

Although there have been some changes at Sevier, Griffith is glad to be back. She enjoys working with new teachers and is grateful for the principal’s support of fine arts.

“There’s been some smaller changes, but it still has that same feeling of home that I loved so much the first time I was here,” she said.