She wanted to be a rock star. These days, Bonnie Craig channels that same creative energy into teaching students how to build worlds with words and paint instead. Meet Bonnie Craig, one of Edge High School’s ELA and Art teachers who never really stopped chasing the art, in this week’s Then & Now.
What did you want to be when you grew up, back in high school?
I wanted to be a rock star. 😂
Did you have a part-time job or hustle during your teen years?
Yep — daycare assistant, house cleaner, farm worker, and construction site cleanup crew, among other odd jobs.
What clubs, sports, or activities did you throw yourself into in high school?
I mostly liked to listen to and make music and art with my friends.
Who was your favorite teacher, and what’s one thing they taught you that stuck?
My first grade teacher inspired and taught respect for diverse cultures all over the world, along with a strong commitment to antiracism, despite a relative lack of cultural diversity where we were, geographically speaking. I’ve carried those ideals with me on this lifelong learning journey.
What was on repeat on your playlist in high school? What’s on it now?
In high school, it was Metallica, Stevie Nicks (especially “Rhiannon”), Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Allman Brothers. Now it’s bluegrass and traditional Irish music, Dolly of any era, and 90’s-and-earlier country and classic country rock.
Describe your high school style. And now?
Then: a fusion of country, punk, and “Middle-Earth-chic.” Now: pretty much the same, but with less polyester.
What did you and your friends do on a typical Friday night?
We mostly just hung out at a park or one of our houses. Now my big exciting Friday nights consist of washing my sheets, sitting outside on the patio with the dogs, listening to horror podcasts, and going to bed by ten.
What’s a trend from your high school years you can’t quite shake?
Boots and jeans with dresses over them.
What’s a snack you couldn’t get enough of back then? Do you still crave it?
In high school, much like Edge students, it was ramen, ramen, ramen — and if I was feeling extra fancy, a box of mac and cheese. Now it’s just whatever I happen to have around the kitchen.
If you could give your 16-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Hang in there, buddy. Eventually you’ll have four dogs, four cats, lots of chickens, and you’ll live with them in a brightly colored little house in the middle of an enchanted garden.
What do you love most about working at Edge?
This is the only high school where I’ve taught, but I often compare it in my mind to the one I attended as a teen, and I wish so much that I’d had a supportive, safe, and caring place like Edge when I was that age. Those qualities are just a few of the reasons I love working here.
3 Fun Facts About Bonnie
- She got to meet Jane Goodall when she was 7 years old.
- She got struck by lightning at 21.
- In her twenties, she rode bareback alone through the mountains on a huge Palomino horse named Kona — who was Mr. Ed’s (Google it, kids) great-grandson.
Thanks for sharing a little of your past and present, Bonnie! Want to learn from an ELA and Art teacher at Edge High School who brings this much heart (and history) into her classroom? Come see what a day at Edge looks like for yourself.
About Edge High School
For 30 years, Edge has been serving Tucson youth with a tuition-free, Cognia-accredited, high school education. We provide an alternative to traditional education, meeting the diverse learning and life needs of our students with online distance learning, in-person and flexible morning or afternoon schedules at two conveniently located campuses. Our high-quality, passionate teachers are dedicated to individualized instruction in our small academic classes. Get to know Edge on Facebook, Youtube and Instagram. Be you. With us. At Edge.