The household of Aaron and Amy Broussard is a family of educators. Aaron is a math teacher at South Cameron High School in Grand Chenier and Amy is the librarian at T.H. Watkins Elementary School in Lake Charles.

Aaron didn’t begin college with the intent of studying education, but an opportunity to tutor high school students in math opened his eyes to a career path best suited for his interests, he said. “I enjoyed that way more than what I was going to school for.”

Thirteen years into the profession, the passion continues. “Helping students learn and really trying to prepare them for their future is one of the best things I could ever hope to do with my life,” he said.

While math often isn’t a person’s favorite subject, it’s that initial distaste that brings some of his greatest professional joys. “I chose to teach math because I actually really enjoy math and try to spread that joy to my students especially in a typically unloved subject,” he said.

The progress and growth his students make over the course of the year is his favorite part of the job, he said. “It is hard to beat watching a struggling student become confident by the end of the year. I routinely say that it would be amazing if all I ever had to do was come in and teach my students every day.”

The job isn’t always glamorous, though, he said. “My least favorite thing is the extra paperwork. No one really prepares you for the amount of paperwork that goes into education!”

Unlike Aaron’s path towards the classroom, Amy always knew she wanted to be a teacher. “I truly feel like it is what I am called to do. I feel as if it is my true purpose,” she said.

She spent eight years as a classroom teacher and the last three year as the librarian. “I always loved teaching in the classroom, but now being in the library, I have an even greater joy of being an educator.”

The library allows Amy to work with the entire student body at Watkins, kindergarten through fifth grade. Storytelling and sharing a love for books and reading is truly fun, she said.

“For example, just today I was reading ‘The Very Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle to a kindergarten class and when the caterpillar transformed into a butterfly, the students started clapping! We just have so much fun each and every day.”

If she could have any wish granted in the profession it would be for more updated books in the library. “I am slowly trying to build our library and our circulation dates to the early 2000’s. Our kids deserve it,” she said.

When the Broussards aren’t teaching, they enjoy spending time with their two children and dog. Aaron is a fan of outdoor sports like hunting and fishing and Amy enjoys reading with an annual goal of reading 50 books a year.