Stepping into Mrs. Kristin Drumheller’s classroom, no one would be able to tell she had moved in just six months ago. Posters of her favorite artists adorn the walls, photo frames of her kids and dogs decorate her desk and dozens of yearbooks fill the shelves. At lunch, she talks animatedly to her English I freshmen about her jewelry business, while a group of her yearbook students draw on her crowded whiteboard. 

It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, she almost quit teaching. 

Having been a cheer coach from the age of 16, teaching came naturally to Mrs. Drumheller. “I’ve always been a coach and I really like helping people get better at their skills; I love seeing those results and how it looks at the end,” she said. The former coach added that she “was able to build good, positive relationships with the children” from her early days as a coach-a trait that she has carried on through her decade-long career.

However, teaching wasn’t the only passion she discovered in her teenage years. On a visit to their aunts Gerri and Valerie, Mrs. Drumheller and her sister were introduced to jewelry-making, and quickly fell in love with the hobby that had brought the older generation of sisters together. “What was so special with them was that they were each other’s best friends. And even though they lived in different parts of the world, they came together through their love of finer things in life, including jewelry,” Mrs. Drumheller explained. This connection translated to her and her own sister, strengthening their bond even after Mrs. Drumheller moved away from their home in Pittsburgh

“We had been making jewelry for so long, and then COVID happened and we were home a lot, trying to be creative. She and I would FaceTime a lot, and we just started talking about making jewelry as a way to make money, as a side hustle,” Mrs. Drumheller recalled. 

The start of their business, Sapphire and Leo, came during a turbulent time in her life, as she tried to teach from home and navigate her first pregnancy. However, with her sister’s help, the business took off and continues to grow. “It’s not scary, it’s just overwhelming. This is a passion project… the core of it isn’t to make money, in my opinion, the core of it is to have quality time with my sister… It really helps us stay close, stay connected, be a part of each other’s lives,” Mrs. Drumheller said, words echoing those she used to describe the relationship of her beloved aunts.

Many would find it intimidating to add so much to their own plate. At the start of 2024, Mrs. Drumheller was teaching her first year at Green Hope, coaching the cheer team, balancing Sapphire and Leo during her free time and taking care of her then 3-year-old daughter, all on top of preparing for a newborn son. On maternity leave, she was presented with yet another huge responsibility: becoming the advisor of Green Hope’s yearbook class. She described how former yearbook advisor Mrs. Emily Freeman, along with Leadership in Media teacher Mr. Matthew Mayse, convinced her that her outgoing personality with students and her experience coaching would make her a perfect fit for the job. 

Never one to back away from a new challenge, Mrs. Drumheller agreed to the role. “It wasn’t as easy of a transition as I thought it was going to be,” she reflected. Yearbook is mostly a student-led class, with the editors planning and organizing most of the book before the school year even begins. It also had a set of systems in place, the rigid structure of which was a change of pace compared to her previous classes. 

“I never plan that far ahead, I’m used to just going with the flow and making decisions, like on the fly, to change,” she said. She adjusted to many of the class’s routines, while bringing a sense of spontaneity and openness to change that led to the implementation of new and efficient systems.

Mrs. Drumheller has always been up to the task, giving a piece of herself to the many different activities and roles she balances. And she’s not done yet: she talks excitedly about wanting her daughter to start taking dance classes. “I keep adding things… I think that’s the whole part of life, that it’s never consistent, it’s always changing.” She explained that, while her life is overwhelming, she’s glad to be doing so many things she enjoys and grateful to have a support system to lean on. 

Going into the new year, Mrs. Drumheller is putting herself first. “I’m gonna make more time for myself, but I also wanna be a better business partner with my sister… I want to be more present with my kids and my dogs.” 

However, she also recognizes the unpredictable nature of life. “I’m constantly trying to evolve and be better, but sometimes, you take one step forward and two steps back … and three steps to the left and then you’re turned around!”