My name is Emily Toomey, and 2017 is my first year of teaching English, and not just at Benton! I have been warmly welcomed by the staff, community, and students and I am excited to teach English this year. 

My father was in the US Army when I was growing up, so I have traveled all over the world. We lived in Europe (in Germany) and Central Asia (in Turkmenistan) for a time, as well as in California, North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas, so I don't really have a home town. I graduated from high school in Madison, however, and have spent the last year or so living in that area so it might as well be home. It's so much bigger compared to Benton! 

I graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa with a Bachelor's degree in English (with a writing emphasis; I minored in art!) and then a few years later I went through the teacher education program at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls to be certified to teach. I have a strong background in British Lit (best class EVER!) and specifically the Victorian Era, which is a personal passion of mine.

I love dogs, books, space, writing, playing video games, drawing, and watching movies!