SPANISH FORT, Ala. — It’s not unusual to find Lynn Hodges running barrels in her off time, but inspiring students to find and pursue their passions is what brought the equestrian to the classroom.

“I ride horses, but I never wanted to make a living of it,” said Hodges, who joined Spanish Fort Elementary School in August as the fourth- and fifth-grade gifted education teacher.

Hodges—who lives in Summerdale with her sons, Reed and Blake, and daughter, Carli—earned her bachelor’s degree from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., and her master’s degree in science education from the University of West Georgia. She later earned a specialist certification in gifted education from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Editor’s Note: New jobs often bring challenges, but in educational settings they can also present opportunities for new arrivals to infuse schools with fresh perspectives and innovative approaches.

This is the sixth in an ongoing series designed to introduce readers to some new faces in the Spanish Fort feeder pattern.

See the rest of this story in the Sept. 17 Spanish Fort Sun—on stands through Sept. 21—and available at the Daphne Bulletin-Spanish Fort Sun office, 1805 Main St., Daphne.