By Jordan Hanford
Except for last year, a Givens has been on staff since 1986.
Government and world history teacher Andrew Givens will continue the family tradition of his mother Carole Givens and his sister Dana Chen by teaching at Varina.
Mrs. Givens taught history and government from 1986 to 2008. Her daughter, Mrs. Chen taught communications and English from 2007 to 2010.
“We have always been committed to Varina, and I am glad that Andy is back home,” Mrs. Givens said. “I know he will enjoy being a part of the Varina family as much as his sister and I did.”
Mr. Givens taught at Varina his first year out of college. Then he worked for three years in the corporate world as a collections manager for an apartment company and construction company.
Since he missed the challenge of teaching, he returned to the classroom at Wilder Middle School for seven years. Now Mr. Givens is back at Varina.
“I am really excited about the opportunity to teach at a high school again, and Varina does feel like home,” Mr. Givens said.
Mr. Givens graduated from Varina in 1997. He was the captain of the Battle of the Brains Club, SGA vice president, a Model UN delegate and a member of Key Club and Spanish Club.
He played defense and forward on the soccer team, played volleyball and wrestled.
Mr. Givens has ties within the Varina community. Geometry and algebra teacher Steven Wright went to elementary, middle and high school with him, and physics teacher Marcus Agee was his roommate at Hampden Sydney. Mr. Givens’ wife was in his graduating class from Varina.
Computer graphic art teacher Joey Boehling taught Mr. Givens in the eleventh grade.
“Andy and Dana together have shown how important a sense of community is in the Varina area,” Mr. Boehling said.
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