Occasional substituting jobs at Klein Forest High School opened the door to a new career for Ms. Angela Blackwell. From occasional days at Klein Forest, Ms. Blackwell became a long-term substitute for a secretary on maternity leave. Because of her excellence as a substitute, Ms. Blackwell was hired as a paraprofessional in the school’s English as a second language department.

Giving her best on the job is nothing new for Ms. Blackwell. She describes herself as a part of the tradition of employees who arrive early for a job, miss work only for serious illness, ignore the clock if a job needs to be finished, and give 100% to every demand. She describes her work ethic as: “Give your best to a job.”

This work ethic propelled Ms. Blackwell to becoming a manager with the J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc. Her last job was serving as the human resources manager for the J.C. Penney store at Town and Country Mall. She had come to the Houston area when her husband was transferred from New York City with Texaco. After she retired from her management position with J. C. Penney, Ms. Blackwell created a travel agency, and she did freelance work as a temporary executive administrator.  

Finding a new career at Klein Forest also brought unexpected pleasures for Ms. Blackwell. She has found a work environment that she loves and sincere friends who brighten her life. Additionally, she has found that she has really enjoyed being with the Klein Forest students.

Ms. Blackwell was born in Venezuela and grew up on Trinidad. She attended Baruch College in New York. As a life-long learner who enjoys being involved in constructive use of her time, Ms. Blackwell trained to serve as a Eucharist minister at her church.

Ms. Blackwell and her husband Eddie, who has retired from Texaco and become a realtor, are the parents of one son who is a graduate of the University of Texas.