Katie Merritt has joined the Darlington Community as media arts teacher at the Upper School.
“Katie’s experience with yearbook and journalism will provide continued support for the media arts program, giving students experiences and skills that will carry them through college and beyond,” said Kim Tunnell, fine arts director. “She brings a perspective of real-world application in the areas of social media and journalism.”
Merritt will teach several courses, including journalism and yearbook, and looks forward to continuing to build the media arts program at Darlington. She has always enjoyed learning and helping others discover new ideas, particularly with the variety of platforms and creative channels in the media arts.
“I have always been passionate about scholastic journalism and think media literacy is one of the most important 21st Century skills to teach our students,” Merritt said. “I hope to continue the excellence that the Jabberwokk yearbook has achieved and continue that with the The Darlingtonian and Insklinger.”
Merritt holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of South Florida, Tampa, and multiple certifications and endorsements, including Certified Journalism Educator. She taught in the Hillsborough County Florida school district for the past 12 years and most recently taught English and served as yearbook adviser at Steinbrenner High School in Tampa. She was Steinbrenner's Teacher of the Year in 2016. This past year, Merritt was District 4 co-director for the Florida Scholastic Press Association and was a nominee for FSPA Teacher of the Year in District 4. She has also served on a Local Planning Committee for the National Scholastic Press Association.
Merritt loves to travel, and her creativity extends from the written word and imagery to costume design as well.
“Coming from Florida, I spent a lot of time at Disney,” she said. “Now I spend a lot of time thinking about when I get to go back to Disney. I also enjoy costume creation and attending Renaissance Festivals.”
