Today's interview comes from junior Taylor Myers.
Kayla Foster is a 2006 alumni from Bismarck-Henning High School. She was a multi-sport athlete participating in basketball, softball and tennis, and now she works for the military.
What was your favorite part about attending Rossville Alvin High School?
One of the greatest parts of Rossville-Alvin High School was the people. Every person in the school knew you and you knew them on a personal level as well. We were a family at the school, and there was always someone there for you, no matter what the circumstance. I was fortunate enough to later teach junior high math for Rossville-Alvin for a year.
Who was your favorite teacher?
That is a tough question to answer! I had many great teachers throughout high school. Ms. Watson is the reason I am able to put pen to paper and trust in my abilities to write. I had other great teachers such as Mr. Henry for math at Rossville, Mrs. Smith in Bismarck, and I can't forget about Mr. Cisney for history. I was fortunate to have great teachers throughout my high school career.
Did you participate in any extracurricular activities while in high school?
I played basketball and softball for BHHS for four years and played tennis independently for four years as well. I received a scholarship to play college basketball at Lake Land College and then finished my college career at Tennessee Wesleyan College on a tennis scholarship.
What made you choose to go into the military?
I always loved the military growing up. To me, the people who served their country were brave, selfless, and carried themselves in the way of which I admired. Once I was out of college and began teaching, I became interested in using my mathematics degree in the intelligence field. I found opportunities as I looked into the military's officer options and knew that it was a job that I wanted to pursue. I was in my fourth year of teaching when I received the call that I was accepted to become a Cryptologic Warfare Officer in the United States Navy.
Was the experience what you thought it would be?
I started off my military experience by getting the phone call during a teachers meeting the morning before Christmas break. I had to resign my teaching position by lunchtime and began my initial officer training a month later. It was a shock at the time, but I am grateful to my previous bosses, coworkers and family for being supportive. My time in the Navy has been life-changing. It has taken me all over the United States, to war zones in Afghanistan, and from the Arabian Gulf to the coast of North Korea. I am not sure what I thought I was getting myself into when I started this career. Working in this field has allowed me to see many different places around the world and truly helps me appreciate the life we live in the U.S.
Are you happy you chose this career path?
I am extremely happy and fortunate that I have had the opportunity to be in this career. I think that the goal for a career is that you find something that you love to do and ensure you give 100% to that job. I enjoy that I can make a difference in people's lives while providing information to help protect our country and its people.