It’s all in the family for Mrs. Cunningham

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Mikala McCracken

Mrs. Cunningham comes from a long line of successful teachers at B-A.

Harley Strunk, Staff Writer

Tenth grade English teacher Mrs. Alyssa Cunningham’s family has a history of teaching. She says that the teaching career felt like a natural choice when she was trying to decide what she wanted to do with her life.

One reason it felt so natural because she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mother, B-A middle school teacher Mrs. Deanna Davis.

“My mom is a teacher, so I got to watch the course of her career and the rewards and challenges that come along with teaching. Her dad, my grandfather, was also a B-A teacher, along with her uncle and cousin, so I imagine she had a familiarity and comfort with the career when I decided to teach,” said Mrs. Cunningham.

Mrs. Cunningham’s sister Kristin is now a teacher as well. She began the first year of her career in August at Bellefonte.

Mrs. Davis never expected her daughters to become teachers, but she is very happy that they did.

I always looked up to my mother and admired her work as a teacher at B-A.

— Mrs. Cunningham

“When the girls were growing up, I didn’t see them as teachers,” said Mrs. Davis. “During both of their freshman semesters they both had a change of heart and decided to become English teachers. As a mom, I am very proud! It is awesome to have one daughter working here in our district and the other in a district not so far away.”

Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Cunningham love working in the same district together.

“We have a great time talking about the neat things that could happen within our schools. Their grandfather was also a BAHS teacher for many years. I know he would be proud too!”

“I enjoy teaching in the same district as my mom. I always looked up to her and admired her work as a teacher at B-A, and I am proud to follow in her footsteps,” said Mrs. Cunningham.

Mrs. Cunningham loves the fact that her sister is a teacher. They share the same career down to the subject and grade level.

“We are very close and have many similar interests, including our love of reading and teaching. She is hilarious, creative, and caring, which are all qualities which I think make a great teacher,” said Mrs. Cunningham.

Mrs. Cunningham has taught for four years, both at Glendale and now at Bellwood-Antis. She went to Bellwood from kindergarten through twelfth and then attended Lock Haven University.