Susan Malena is a teacher at Altus High School. She is one of two teachers that teach Family and Consumer Sciences at AHS. The areas she covers are Food & Nutrition I and II, Fashion Design I and II, Interior Design I and II and Personal Financial Literacy. She teaches all of high school, but mainly has tenth through twelfth graders.
Malena received her first taste of an educational career as a substitute teacher. She said that opened her eyes to realize what career she wanted to pursue.
“While substituting at Altus High School I was fortunate enough to substitute for Melissa Wilson and Kathy Rackley who ran the FCS department,” she said. “I was there enough to know I truly enjoyed the high school age students and told them I would love their job. They both retired at the same time and I had gotten my alternative certification for Family and Consumer Sciences and was then fortunate to be hired at Altus High School. My degree is Accounting and Finance but was lucky to grow up in a home where life skills of cooking, sewing, financial management and home care was an everyday part of our lives.”
Along with being a substitute teacher, Susan says that the teachers she had as a student were also very impactful to her career decision.
“I can honestly say I was lucky to have great, caring teachers from elementary through high school,” she stated. “Those that will always have a special place in my heart are Mrs Smith, Mr Smith, Mr Kenny, Mr Weidner and Mr Ferriolo. Every one of them enjoyed teaching but truly cared about each one of their students.”
When she is not in the classroom, anyone that knows Susan at all knows what she loves to do.
“I have always enjoyed riding and showing horses,” Malena said. “They are truly my second full time job. I got my first horse at the age of five and much to my mom’s regret I have never outgrown them. There is a group of us that call ourselves Team Happy Heart that ride together, share our lives and our love for horses and work toward our riding goals.”
