Stephen Minnich

Where did you attend school?

I received a BA in English from the University of Richmond and an MFA from George Mason University in Creative Writing, concentrating in Poetry.

Where do you teach outside of Fairfax Collegiate?

I have been teaching for ~12 years now at various schools. For the last 3 years I have been working with Reynolds Community College as the Dual-Enrollment English Instructor at CodeRVA High School. I also organize weekly free-entry writing workshops and book clubs to further education in the community.

How long have you been with Fairfax Collegiate?

I've worked with Fairfax Collegiate since Summer 2013, moving to Lead Instructor by 2017 and Location Director by 2019. I've also worked with the after-school program and helped pilot the online programming. I've taught just about every offering except the math, film, or visual arts classes. I've mostly taught the reading & writing courses at every level, while also covering debate classes at the middle school level and test prep courses at the high school level. I authored the 2021 reconfiguration of the TJHSST Prep workbooks.

What excites you about teaching and working with students?

The palpable excitement when a kid "gets it" and seeing the creative ways students approach problems.

Outside of work, what are some hobbies you enjoy?

Reading contemporary poetry and fiction, classic sci-fi, and writing poetry; organizing workshops and book clubs; making books; and playing video games.