Hi there!

I’m Derrick.

I received my bachelor’s in English with a minor in Philosophy from the University of New Mexico in 2015. I started in Albuquerque at Jimmy Carter Middle School and moved to the Tri-Cities in 2018 to live with my wife. I’ve taught a little bit of everything in grades K-12, but literature and writing are my favorite. Language is the most fascinating thing on the planet, and the better we understand how it works, the more empowered we are. I love sharing that passion with kids. The best thing about my job is watching a story click with a student. It lights up my day.

When I’m not teaching, you’ll find me gardening, brewing kombucha, reading, or writing a new story.