By Ember McElrath 

Starting her Union High School teaching career in 2012, Joy Anoatubby currently teaches eleventh grade English and advanced language and compositions. Joy is not only busy working in the classroom, but she also keeps herself busy being a STUCO sponsor as well as one of the coaches for the academic team. 

“I love kids,” said Joy. “Working closely with other professionals who also love kids is just flat-out fun. I learn as much from my students as they learn from me, and my closest friends are coworkers.” 

Joy got her inspiration to get into teaching from her fourth and fifth-grade teacher, Barbara Ormsby at Cherokee Elementary. 

“Honestly, I just wanted to be like her,” Joy said. “She found something to celebrate in each student. She was fun, classy, pretty, smart, and had a wonderful family whose company she loved. The icing on the cake was the daisy yellow convertible VW bug she drove. In my young mind, what more was there?”

Her inspiration to get into teaching came from a previous teacher, but the person she truly inspires is her father. 

“He is the most approachable, steadfast, loving, and humble person I have ever known,” Joy said. “He emits peace. I want to be like that. I want my presence and my classroom to be a haven no matter what is going on anywhere else.” 

When Joy is not busy teaching the young kids of her school all about English she enjoys baking, listening to audiobooks, and her favorite pastime besides spending time with her family is traveling. 

“My husband has graciously allowed me to spend every minute I can with my parents, babies, and grandbabies when we do not have other commitments,” said Joy. We love Cabo and try to go at least once a year.”