Debra D. Peppers

Peppers considers her drama and speech classes a "dress rehearsal" for real life experiences. Her classes create, direct, and produce original public service announcements on literacy, child abuse, alcoholism, and school dropouts.

She designed a "zero hour" (before school) credit class in technical theater that stemmed from a district mini-grant and now has a two-year waiting list.

Each class is allowed to select its own six-week project. Students originate ideas such as developing workshops to include the middle school, ecology play for elementary schools, library instructional videos, lunch time cafeteria performances, and co-projects with other schools. She wrote a play called "Act Your Age" and cast 25 students with 25 senior citizens from the area.

Fifteen years ago, Peppers chaired the Teachers for Lindbergh campaign to pass a bond issue to build a new multi-million auditorium and has served as the auditorium manager ever since. She believes teachers must never forget that public schools are for the public and everyone must take ownership.

"Had she not been able to see beyond my teenage glasses, braces, inferiority complex and emotional instability, my life would be very different today. . .She did for me what she has done for many others who have tumultuous teen years; she encouraged, listened, and always understood."

-- Linda Underwood, former student, now a teacher in Botswana, Africa

"Debra has served on practically every committee, volunteered for every workshop, spoken at every school in the state, hugged every kid in the school, and touched everyone that came in contact with her. Teachers with children at the high school often do everything they can to get their children in one of Debra's classes."