The Journalism team at Bel Air High School is honoring our female teachers with stories during Women’s History Month. I have chosen to honor Ms. Andrea Stare.  

Stare is a part of our World Language team here at BAHS. She teaches Spanish 2, 3, and 4. Outside of teaching, Stare coaches and directs the Color Guard team at BAHS. She has a strong background for baton twirling and dancing, which is why she loves coaching.  

In college, Stare represented her school by performing collegiate twirling at the football games. She also ran the marching band’s fundraising for the annual dance marathon for the fight against pediatric cancer.  

When Stare was asked about what women have inspired her throughout her career, she said, “A lot of powerful women whose classrooms I’ve sat in as a student come to mind, all for different reasons.”  

Stare tells us, “Way back to my favorite eighth grade teachers: Carleton and Fonte. They always had fun projects that helped me learn, and a lot of my projects as a teacher have stemmed from my experiences with theirs.”  

Stare also thanks her baton coaches, “My baton coaches had also inspired me in my career, but in a very different manner.”  

Stare grew up in a very disciplined dance and baton program, which taught her what professionalism means. As her coaches were extremely strict, fun was reserved for outside practice hours at the pool, team parties, or holiday events. This program shaped her into who she is today.  

Stare is extremely proud of her accomplishments, especially baton twirling and dancing. When Stare was a student here at BAHS, she tried to get approval to twirl baton with the marching band, but the band director then didn’t want that in his program. So, her first and only experience in a marching band was at the University of Delaware, where Stare attended college.  

Stare says, “I don’t think people know this, but I had never done color guard before coaching flags at BAHS, but I accepted, because I loved being on the majorette line with the marching band in college, I wanted other girls to find their place like I did, and I knew I could figure it out.”  

Stare’s greatest accomplishment is the color guard team here at BAHS. She started this program from scratch and has created a positive environment for the girls. She says, “They make me so excited for the future of this program.” 

When I asked Stare if any women in her life inspired or influenced her career choice, she answered with, “my mom.” Stare’s mother is also a teacher; she teaches fourth grade at Hickory Elementary School.  

When Stare was a child, she loved to help her mother in her classroom. “I loved climbing on furniture to do bulletin boards, using the paper slicer and copier, and rearranging the setup.” 

Stare always knew she wanted to be a teacher. After seeing and helping with her mother’s classroom, she always dreamed of what hers would look like. She says, “I can’t pinpoint it to an exact moment or memory, but I know it’s because when I wasn’t in the gym twirling baton, I was asking to go help her in her classroom.” 

Stare just earned her master’s degree in Instructional Technology. Receiving her master’s degree was extremely important to her since her family has constantly motivated her. Stare says, “I’ve been influenced by women holding themselves to higher standards and pursuing higher education my whole life.”  

Stare is creative and artistic; she loves art and designing things, which is why she got her master’s degree in Instructional Technology. She wanted her degree in something that would help expand her knowledge and expertise on those topics.  

When asked how she tries to inspire students in her classroom, Stare replies, “I try really hard to promote positivity and inspire learners to step out of their comfort zones, be themselves, encourage and be kind to others, and learn from our mistakes.” 

Stare has always emphasized that we learn more from our mistakes, rather than from things we already know. She says, “You are only what you let yourself become, not what someone else calls you or says you are.”  

From the bottom of my heart, I thank Ms. Stare for everything she has done and continues to do here at BAHS and for her students. She is unapologetically herself and contributes so much to our community.