For October’s Employee of the month, Mason McCormack has been given the honor.

“I am hard working, try my best for my students, help others, and am excited to come to work every day,” McCormack said.

He is proud to be a teacher at KHS because of how the students treat him and each other. He said the students are always being positive and connecting with one another.

“Being in the classroom, football and family life have been a bit of a challenge at times, but it is worth it,” McCormack said.

His favorite school activity is football, which he coaches.

“The atmosphere and excitement on Friday nights is unmatched and something I look forward to,’’ he said.

The most influential person in his life is his grandpa. He said his grandpa came from nothing and worked his whole life to give him everything.

A quote McCormack lives by is “Fear is not real. Fear is all mental. It’s purely a thought, therefore it is ok to fear because fear can be conquered.’’

Growing up, McCormack went to Jacksonville High School and graduated in 2014. He attended online college while working in an oil field after spending time in the Army. He went on to graduate from SFA in the spring of 2023.

He studied Kinesiology and graduated with that degree at SFA. He also worked at Brookshire Brothers for a while.

McCormack has high hopes for the future in the next 10 years.

”In 10 years, hopefully I can complete my masters and work my way up to an administrative position or become a head basketball coach,” McCormack said.

His best friend is his wife Celeste. They have been married for almost 8 years, and together for 10. They have a family of three boys.

“We have helped put each other through school, maintain jobs, and raise a family of all boys together,” he said. “She has been there for me no matter what.”

He says that the Army has been his biggest learning point, being taught discipline and how to be a leader to others, to have attention to detail and follow orders. McCormack’s time in the military taught him many life lessons.

“I learned to have responsibility in holding myself accountable for my actions. I also learned to be disciplined in everything I do and how to get out of my comfort zone,” McCormack said.

His most influential teacher was Mr. Peacock, his former English teacher. He treated everyone with the same respect and wanted the best for each of them.

“He held everyone to the same standard and taught more than just English,” McCormack said.

McCormack was in the Army for 4 years and did a tour in Afghanistan and was a first generation college graduate.

“I have worked since I was 16 and have been fortunate enough to be way ahead in life considering where I started from,” McCormack said.