Students from the Dr. Gene Burton College and Career Academy filled the hallways as health science teacher Tonja Coykendall returned home after a six-month deployment in the Air Force.
Mrs. Coykendall had been deployed in Kuwait since July as a Master Sergeant in the Air Force, leaving behind her students and family. Although this would be her first deployment, it wasn't anything new to her family. Her husband, who is also in the Air Force, has previously been deployed three times.
"It was my time to go serve my country," she said. "The separation from family, we've experienced that before."
Her dedication for teaching dentistry couldn't keep her away completely. Mrs. Coykendall kept in contact with her students, graded assignments and adjusted lesson plans for her long-term substitute teacher after long shifts during deployment.
"I've worked so hard for the dentistry program to become what it is," she said. "I couldn't let go."
The passion Mrs. Coykendall has for her students and dentistry shows. She's worked on several grants to help fund her classroom to create a dental lab.
"I wanted to allow them the opportunity to explore the world of dentistry in a fully functioning dental office essentially," she said.
While deployed in Kuwait, which is a nine-hour time difference, Mrs. Coykendall collaborated virtually with her colleagues back home as part of an A3 Lean Management Program. Earlier this month, Mrs. Coykendall received a white belt after completing the program. Coincidentally, Mrs. Coykendall was also completing a separate lean management program with the Air Force in which she received a green belt.
Now, Mrs. Coykendall is back and is ready to hit the ground running, as she told her students, some of whom she was finally able to meet in person.
"It was a wonderful homecoming. It's good to be home."
