De Andre M. Jackson is a new is teacher in the Department of Fine Arts at Millington Central High School. He is pleased and looking forward to working with professional talented theater arts faculty Jenny Hall, Leigh Ann Evans, and Jessica Robinson.
Jackson earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication Arts, Theater Teaching, and Professional Education form Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN. He also earned an Associate of Arts in Speech and Theater from Southwest Tennessee Community College and is currently working on a Master degree in Secondary Education at Union University-Germantown.
Jackson theater experience began while being offered a replacement role in a student written Christmas play December 2001 at Mitchell Middle/High School. "I really enjoyed the experience of acting as someone else before my peers" Jackson said. "It was after this play that I pursued a interest in drama/theater arts." He later got a chance to do just that when he enrolled in Overton High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. There he worked under the direction of current Arlington High theater director SaraLyn Archibald for two years. His acting debut at Overton High School was the role of George Sillers in Inherit the Wind. "Ms. Archibald was a major influence in my choice of a teaching career in theater arts" he continued "I was exposed to so many areas of theater (particularly acting and costume design), won Tennessee High School Speech and Drama League awards for pantomime, and had a chance to view numerous plays and musicals throughout the Memphis and surrounding areas." Jackson hopes to instill these same experiences into every student that enters his classroom.
Post his secondary education he continued his studies at Southwest Tennessee Community College and was offered acting roles in Blues for Minister Charlie, When You Coming Back Red Ryder, and Personal Effects directed by Ronald Gephart. In the summer of 2008 he volunteered to work as a stage crewman in his favorite musical West Side Story at Theater Memphis while getting a chance to meet an outstanding former Broadway actor, dancer, and the musical's director Mitzi Hamilton. He also was approved for an Acting/Educational Internship under the supervision of former Showagon coordinator Marques Brown at Theater Memphis. He debuted his directing ability in a readers theater play Hansel, Gretel, and Fred while working as the school-age teacher and summer camp coordinator at Kim's Kidz Child Care Center, summer 2009. This was followed by assistant directing two Theater Organization for Youth by Students (T.O.Y.S.) children productions: Little Red and Hoods and Pied Piper at Austin Peay State University. For his senior directing course he directed the one act play Last Train to Nibroc.
Jackson continues exploring new opportunities to expand his training and experience in theater arts to become an exceptional educator. He looks forward to meeting his students and being apart of all theater related events for the 2012-2013 academic year at Millington Central High.
Jackson earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication Arts, Theater Teaching, and Professional Education form Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN. He also earned an Associate of Arts in Speech and Theater from Southwest Tennessee Community College and is currently working on a Master degree in Secondary Education at Union University-Germantown.
Jackson theater experience began while being offered a replacement role in a student written Christmas play December 2001 at Mitchell Middle/High School. "I really enjoyed the experience of acting as someone else before my peers" Jackson said. "It was after this play that I pursued a interest in drama/theater arts." He later got a chance to do just that when he enrolled in Overton High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. There he worked under the direction of current Arlington High theater director SaraLyn Archibald for two years. His acting debut at Overton High School was the role of George Sillers in Inherit the Wind. "Ms. Archibald was a major influence in my choice of a teaching career in theater arts" he continued "I was exposed to so many areas of theater (particularly acting and costume design), won Tennessee High School Speech and Drama League awards for pantomime, and had a chance to view numerous plays and musicals throughout the Memphis and surrounding areas." Jackson hopes to instill these same experiences into every student that enters his classroom.
Post his secondary education he continued his studies at Southwest Tennessee Community College and was offered acting roles in Blues for Minister Charlie, When You Coming Back Red Ryder, and Personal Effects directed by Ronald Gephart. In the summer of 2008 he volunteered to work as a stage crewman in his favorite musical West Side Story at Theater Memphis while getting a chance to meet an outstanding former Broadway actor, dancer, and the musical's director Mitzi Hamilton. He also was approved for an Acting/Educational Internship under the supervision of former Showagon coordinator Marques Brown at Theater Memphis. He debuted his directing ability in a readers theater play Hansel, Gretel, and Fred while working as the school-age teacher and summer camp coordinator at Kim's Kidz Child Care Center, summer 2009. This was followed by assistant directing two Theater Organization for Youth by Students (T.O.Y.S.) children productions: Little Red and Hoods and Pied Piper at Austin Peay State University. For his senior directing course he directed the one act play Last Train to Nibroc.
Jackson continues exploring new opportunities to expand his training and experience in theater arts to become an exceptional educator. He looks forward to meeting his students and being apart of all theater related events for the 2012-2013 academic year at Millington Central High.