CFB ALUMNI Spotlights JACLYN BREWER-POOLE Newman Smith High School 2004 Graduate
After graduating from Newman Smith High School in 2004, Jaclyn Brewer-Poole studied dance and gained international dance experience at The Juilliard School in New York before coming back home to impact the CFB community and the district’s Fine Arts program as a middle school dance teacher. “I had the opportunity to train under various well-known choreographers as well as study dance internationally in Spain and Canada,” Poole said. “Additionally, I danced
professionally in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with Bruce Wood Dance, Avant Chamber Ballet, and Ballet Dallas.” Before high school, Poole attended McLaughlin Strickland Elementary, McCoy Elementary, and DeWitt Perry Middle School. She was a member of the Gallery in Motion dance company at Newman Smith. “I spent most of my time dancing in high school,” Poole said. “I had many opportunities to perform including at school and community events, the state capitol building, and the National High School Dance Festival in Pennsylvania.” Poole was also a part of Smith’s International Business Academy, which allowed her to complete a marketing
internship at Texas Ballet Theatre while being a student in high school. Today, Poole teaches middle school students dance etiquette, history, and basic anatomy, as well as a wide range of dance styles including modern, jazz, hip hop, ballet, folklorico, and tap. She also started dance programs at both Blalack and Vivian Field middle schools. “Middle school dance has given me the opportunity to be who I want to be and express myself,” said Erika Martinez, Blalack Middle School eighth-grader. “It has been the best part of middle school, and I honestly don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for this class with Mrs. Poole.”
ANNALISE FELLOWS Ranchview High School 2009 Graduate
With a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin and coursework well in progress toward a Master of Business Administration degree, Ranchview High School alumna Annalise Fellows has found a successful career in the retail fashion industry. Currently, she is a Site Merchandising Manager for Macy’s. Since 2014, Fellows has worked for several national retailers including Stage Stores and J.Crew. “At Macy’s, I am responsible for all dresses on Macy’s.com,” Fellows said. “There, I work on curating experiences for customers
around where and how they find products, setting up sales events, and helping launch special projects each year.” Fellows graduated from Ranchview HS in 2009. While in high school, she was a member of the band, student government, crime stoppers, and National Honor Society. “I played the flute, which I loved despite my lack of rhythmic ability,” Fellows said. “I loved being involved and volunteering through school.” After graduation, Fellows attended UT majoring in marketing through the McCombs School of Business. “I knew going into college I wanted to work in retail and fashion, but wanted to be on the business side,” Fellows said. “So I
focused on learning how businesses operate and what influences customers to make a purchase decision.” She credits CFB for impacting her future. “Without a doubt, all my teachers at Ranchview impacted my life,” she said. “In particular, Mr. Lancaster has been a mentor and friend for more than a decade. Calculus was not my best subject, and as a freshman at UT on the verge of not passing college calculus, I went back to Mr. Lancaster for several tutoring sessions.” Fellows is currently completing her MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and hopes to continue her career working with retailers in a rapidly changing industry.
CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH ISD
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