With a new auditorium, Ames High welcomes a new teacher, and director of the drama club. Melissa Kaufman is a known face to Ames high, but after working as a secretary last year she has now started teaching, and is the primary Drama Club director. 

Ms. Kaufman has moved around quite a bit. After a degree from Drake in Secondary Education and English Language arts, she did some of her student teaching in a theater classroom for Hoover High School. Next, she got her Bachelors in fine arts in acting and performance from Drake and moved to New York City. There she tutored and worked as a sub for public, charter, and private schools. At the same time she pursued a career in theater. 

In 2008 she moved to the Chicago area, and eventually moved to Iowa managing a bridal shop in Ankeny. After looking for a lighter job and becoming a secretary at church, she then found the opening at Ames High. Ames High then saw the opportunity to make her a teacher considering her degrees and the rest is history. 

“My strongest interest lies in performance and creation, and getting people to get out of their shells and enter a new world and create something from that is really rewarding,” Kaufman said.

With the excitement of change all round, Kaufman looks to capitalize and encourages students to check out and consider finding a role with the drama club. She said, “We are always looking to welcome new people”