Pekin Community High School has had many great leaders and role models throughout the years. In the fall of 2024, PCHS will have a new leader—graduate, English teacher, department chair, assistant principal, and now principal of Pekin Community High School—Shayla Ewing.

Ewing graduated from Pekin in 2011, after being extremely involved with activities at Pekin. During her high school years, Ewing participated in Speech and Theater, which got her a full scholarship to an acting school in Los Angeles

“While I enjoyed L.A, That is where I learned that I didn’t want to act anymore, I wanted to teach and help others learn,” Ewing stated.

After visiting, Ewing ultimately decided to follow her passion for teaching leading her to Olivet Nazarene University where she received her Bachelor’s degree in English Education then went on to University of Illinois to gain her master’s in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership. 

One of Ewing’s previous teachers here at Pekin, Colleen Kahl states “Shayla was a very curious and organized student, she was always very active” Kahl explains. “She got very excited about learning, and was always very ambitious.” 

After College, Ewing had a few teaching jobs and yet she still wasn’t sure what she wanted to do.

“I called my previous speech teacher, who really inspired me to pursue teaching,” Ewing explained. “He told me it was his very last year teaching; he said to come to Pekin for my first year of teaching and he would become my mentor.” 

Ewing made the decision to then come to Pekin High and start her teaching career in 2015. Ewing started with teaching solely freshman English while also being the drama director and a speech coach for a few years before she continued her master’s degree in education policy. 

“Through grad school I’ve had a lot of really great opportunities,” Ewing said. “I helped build a mentoring program for first-year teachers in the state of Illinois, that’s something I’m really proud of.”

While still in grad school, Ewing began teaching A.P. Language where she helped her own students publish their own work outside of the classroom; Ewing and her students got the opportunity to publish a book one year. Later down the road, she then took the place of department chair and was in this position for three years.

In the fall of 2023, Ewing became the Assistant Principal for Pekin. She was apprehensive about leaving her job as a teacher because she would be stepping away from the students.

Although she was no longer able to teach students, she was still able to consistently help students, as she then helped oversee the counseling office and help students in ways that weren’t just academically.

After recent events, Ewing was granted the opportunity of becoming Principal of Pekin High School. 

“I am super excited, I hope I can do right by Pekin High and our community,” Ewing said. “My goal is for people to know how great of a community we have.”

Ewing will fully take the principal role starting July 1st and will then be principal of PCHS fall of 2024. The Pekin and PCHS community is beyond excited to allow Ewing into this role. She was an incredible pick for the role, and PCHS cannot wait to see the great Ewing brings.