Mrs. Keith, head librarian at Riverbend, is the 2014 RHS Teacher of the Year. Nominated by Dr. Wright, Mrs. Keith received balloons, cupcakes, and an opportunity for countywide recognition from the award. But, as she said, “it was not a straight path.”

In her junior year of college while shelving books at Mary Washington College (now University of Mary Washington), Mrs. Keith realized her passion for children’s literature. After an internship at the Wall Street Journal, she worked in the public library and eventually joined an elementary school library. Battlefield Middle was the next step for Mrs. Keith, and after being a SCOPE teacher for three years, she finally moved on to Riverbend when it opened in 2004.

Mrs. Keith believes that libraries will continue to change with the digital age. She said, “At its heart, the library is a place for people to learn new things and share them with others. Librarians are, depending on the need, the ‘guide on the side’ or ‘sage on the stage.’” The “Think, create, share, grow” standards for the American Association of School Librarians guides the skills the RHS library seeks to encourage in its students.

As for advice for students? Mrs. Keith said, “Teamwork is not always easy, but collaborating can result in everyone learning more. And come to the library!”