Written by Ben Cox – BrownwoodNews.com would like to offer a ‘tip of our cap‘ to a selection of women in town who have made a positive impact on the lives of those around them. Whether by profession, or pastime, these women contribute a rich part to the fabric of Brownwood, and we feel they deserve to have their time in the spotlight. This week’s leading lady is Stacee Hetzel.

 

 

I sat down with Stacee and asked her our list of questions that each Leading Lady will be asked, with a few off the cuff questions specifically for her, and here are her responses.

  • What is your current profession/What do you do?

I’m a teacher at Brownwood High School. I have CTE courses, so accounting and business. But my other half is the drill team, I’m the drill team director and this is my 11th year.

  • 11th year? How long are you going to keep going with that?

I don’t know! You know, it was supposed to be for three, and here I am! I think at certain points I’ve been ready to pass it on, there’s just no one I’ve ever felt comfortable to pass it on to. I’m passionate about it, and I’m not saying the things I’ve done are the right way, but I’m just set in my ways, you know? I just have a hard time passing that one. I love them, I get frustrated, but I really love that part of my job.

  • What clubs or organizations are you a member of locally?

The only thing, other than school–related things, is the Toys for Kids program that we have. We started that back in ’97 and have done it every year with the exception of two years when my dad was first diagnosed with cancer. He was diagnosed in November, and we weren’t able to do it that year or the one after, but have done it ever year since.

My parents started it, my dad came up with the idea, I don’t really know how. He was raised, I mean, they weren’t poverty or anything. They had food, and all their needs supplied, but as far as wants went, they were limited. So he saw a need in the community for help in that area. He was like, ‘we have food pantries and we have this and we have that, but somewhere along the way kids are getting left out.’ So we just threw it together one year and we started it in the mall where Walgreens used to be, which is now where Factory Connection is maybe.

  • Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

Right here. Brownwood, Texas. Graduated from Brownwood High School in 1990 and I left and went to school and came right back and never missed a beat.

  • Are your parents still around?

My mother still lives here and runs Grand Starz (Bingo Hall), and my dad passed away. He had a relapse of cancer, and he passed away February of ’06. My mom is remarried to Scott Martin, he was with the Sherrif’s Department for years.

  • What are some of your fondest memories of childhood?

Definitely my family, because we were all pretty much centered in this area. My dad had four sisters and they all have kids, so it was all about cousins and I rarely remember summers where my house wasn’t full of people. I don’t think I had nights where I was alone.

  • Who left a lasting impression upon you that still is with you today?

My dad. Cause he was just so strong, and also, I am very family based so I couldn’t pick just one person. Both of my parents gave me such a strong structure, the guidance, the impact they had on us. To never give up, the glass is never empty it’s always half full, never stop, keep going, those were things I was taught by both of my parents. My dad was always my rock, but my mom would always be there pick me back up if I fell.

  • What do you hope your legacy will be?

Oh goodness!

I joke about this and I tell them all the time. If something ever happens to me, and I have to have this funeral, please have a whole section for drill team girls! I would want all of them there!

As far as a legacy, I mean my own two children, with Alex and Carol Ann. Alex is gonna be a senior at the end of this semester and Carol Ann is a freshman this year, I just hope that I have somewhat impacted them with the same morals and values that I grew up with. Life is so much more than the little petty things that people sweat. So I guess for me with my my own children and all these girls I would want them to just see the big picture and not sweat the little picture. Enjoy every single minute of it and I try to do that with in everything that I do, so I hope they could try to pick a little bit of that up and run with it.

  • What is one lesson that you would like your to students to take with them into adulthood?

Hmmmm, that’s hard.

Sitting in my classroom as a teacher, I teach certain things in my curriculum, but I would also hope that when they come to my room it’s their safe place. I hope that I could teach them that building relationships with their peers is very important and I would do the same with my own children. Again, not sweating the small stuff, and building a family outside of their relatives. I see so many people just sweating the small stuff and getting caught up in the little bitty things. If there’s a lesson I could teach them it’s to look past that. Whatever your end result is, go after that, go get it.

  • How has living in Brownwood shaped your life?

It’s shaped it in more ways that I could think. I knew when I went to school to be a teacher that I wanted to be back in Brownwood, Texas. It was just a happy place to grow up, it was a fun place to grow up. I felt safe, the community here is amazing. I mean, going through school, when I was a Lionette, I can remember having support from the community, and now looking back at what they’ve done for my all of my girls over the years, its such a great place. I wouldn’t have lived anywhere else.

  • If you could speak to yourself as a High School freshman, what would you say to yourself?

(laughs) Oh goodness!

I probably should’ve listened and paid attention more!

I was one who would sweat the small stuff. Looking back, what a waste of time! And I tell all of them every day when they come in when it‘s something petty, that is not the big picture, move on! You’re not going to remember that a year from now!

I can think of more situations than I want to where I was in a situation that I shouldn’t have been in.

When I first started teaching here, there were teachers that had me. I apologized to my freshman English teacher! I was like ‘I’m so sorry! I promise, I’m better, I’m better! I grew up!’

  • That’s got to be quite the experience, coming back to be co-workers with former teachers.

My senior English teacher was making copies when I walked into the work room and thought to myself, ‘Am I supposed to be in here? Is this OK?“ I couldn’t see her face but I recognized her voice and I was like (makes a face and a scared/surprised sound)!

I had nightmares about Mrs Stovall’s English class. I STILL have nightmares that I didn’t take the final and I am running down the hall trying to get to her class!

  • What is one goal for yourself/family that you haven’t achieved yet?

I guess the main goal for me is to see both of my babies walk across a college stage and get a diploma. Alex graduated from here in ’16 and is going to be a senior at the end of this semester at Tech this year and is doing really well for herself. CarolAnn is a freshman here at Brownwood. That is my goal. Even for CarolAnn if she decides it’s not college, whatever she pursues in life, just to see them happy and giving back. My babies don’t know Christmas without Toys for Kids.

  • How do you feel you have impacted Brownwood?

I don’t know that I have impacted Brownwood individually, I feel like maybe things that I’ve been apart of have, but I sure couldn’t take credit for doing anything by myself. I mean, with the Toys for kids program, I’m honored to be a part of it but goodness, we know my mom’s the backbone of that one. Doing this (Lionettes) I’m the puppet in front, they’re the ones that are doing it. As far as impacting Brownwood, I feel like I’m the fortunate one. They impact me more than I impact them, they don’t know that. Even with Toys for Kids, even though we work long hard days, on the day of giveaway, I am the one impacted.

  • What is one thing you’d like to see for the future of Brownwood?

I really would like to see more activities for high school kiddos. I see some that make poor decisions, they’re not bad kids, they just turned the wrong way. It could happen to any kid and I wish we had more for our youth to do. I really do.

  • What makes you proud to live in Brownwood?

A lot of things, truthfully. I like going into a restaurant and knowing people in there. I like going places and everybody knows everybody. I like the Momma network. My girls will tell you, if somethings going on I can pick up a phone and say ‘did you know this was going on?’ And the same with my kids. Everybody knows everybody. I couldn’t do anything wrong. When I got home my dad already knew it! But I love that! As an adult, maybe not as a kid! But as an adult I really love being in a town where everybody knows everybody. To me that’s home.

  • What does it mean to you to be considered one of the “Leading Ladies of Brownwood?”

First of all, whenever you mentioned it, I never would’ve placed myself in that category in a million years! Never. I just get up every day and do what I love. I’m very passionate about Brownwood High School and teaching and my Lionettes mean the world to me. My family means the world to me. But as far as me being a leading lady, I’m just part of the puzzle.