Kendra Weiss talks about her big transformation from a figure skater to a debate coach while juggling her three jobs as a paraprofessional, parent and wife.
Kendra Weiss helps students with success in debate, while also working students in Unified Sports. Photo by Henna Danek
Parent, wife, Paraprofessional and figure skater, Kendra Weiss juggles her many roles and adds on another to her list, as the new debate coach for the 2012-2013 school year here at TJ.
A Colorado native, Weiss was born in Denver and has moved around a lot since she was a kid. She attended three high schools, Lakewood H.S, Battle Mountain and Cheyenne Mountain in order to pursue her figure skating career. She began skating when she was eight years old and started doing competitive skating when she was 16. “I moved out from home – Vail, Colorado – to train, and then moved to Colorado Springs to train in the World Arena,” said Weiss, who explains that it was an amazing experience training alongside Olympians.
Weiss says she dreamed of being in Disney on Ice, and planned to do that right after high school. But when a career ending injury plagued her, she had to give up her dreams and moved on to college. Weiss explained that skating one day she hurt her knee and waited too long to get it checked out, and soon after discovered that she needed three surgeries on her right knee. She also has a herniated disk in her spine and arthritis and nerve damage in her knee, due to skating. “I had to completely stop skating; if I continued I wouldn’t be able to walk today, “ Weiss added. “It was pretty hard not doing something you’re really passionate about, but eventually I had to move on with my life.”
Weiss then attended Metropolitan State University, for seven years on and off. “It was hard going for four years straight since I got married and had a baby,” Weiss said. When she did finish she saw a job opportunity here at TJ, to be a tutor. She tutored math students for three years and then decided to become a para. “I’m glad I work at TJ; it truly is a good school to work at. I guess what they say is true, once a Spartan always a Spartan.” Weiss says she loves helping kids out and that’s also the reason she decided to be a para, after Principal Sandra Just asked her to.
Weiss also found an opportunity to become a debate coach after Wauneta Vann decided to resign in favor of becoming an administrative intern. “I’ve always been very competitive in nature, and as a debate coach I want to help students at TJ with their communication skills,” said Weiss, who hopes for a great season with her debate team. This year on the debate team there are currently five members; Senior Aaron Wentz, Junior Jeremy DeVivo, and Freshmen Miles Gauthier, Heather Rose Aguilera and Angel Bordeaux-Contreras. “I think this is a great team of kids and they are ready to start competing; but we’re also hoping to double our members since we don’t have enough.” Weiss says, “Come see me Spartans in room three every Tuesdays and Thursday. Our only goal this year is to beat other schools and go to nationals, and I believe we can.”
