Every year, teachers straight out of college walk into a new school and this time, their intention is to teach, rather than to be taught. Geometry teacher Samudi Pannila has always had a passion for helping others that drove her to pursue a career in education.

“It brings me joy to be around all the kids,” Pannila said. “I knew from very early on that I wanted to be a teacher. I knew I wanted to help people.”

While completing her education at the University of Texas at Austin, Pannila was a student teacher in Austin ISD.

“I got sidetracked in high school because I thought I wanted to make money and be an optometrist and then I’ll be a teacher. Or be a petroleum engineer and then become a teacher,” Pannila said. “I went to UT thinking I would be a petroleum engineer and did that for a year and a half and then I realized that life is short and I just want to do what makes me happy, so I became a teacher.”

Pannila graduated from Seven Lakes in 2012 and decided she wanted to work in Katy ISD.

“I knew that I wanted to work in a really good district like Katy because there are very few districts like this,” Pannila said. “ I can very much relate to these kids because I went here, so I thought that this is a good opportunity to work in Katy ISD.”

Pannila enjoys working with and helping her students reach their goals.

“It’s nice to see that the kids want to do well,” Pannila said. “They see the possibilities. It’s joyful just being around them and being able to relate to them and know where they’re at in their lives and try to accommodate them.”