For Kerrie Pegues and her daughter, Ariel, seeing each other on campus is a common occurrence.
“Just the other day, when I was walking through the hallway, I looked up and I saw her doing a lab in chemistry class,” Pegues said. “I never thought we’d be here together, but it’s really cool.”
Ariel agreed.
“It’s been really nice to be able to spend time with her outside of our home,” she said.
The two are staples at Moises E. Molina High School.
Pegues is a volleyball and track coach, English teacher, and senior sponsor. Ariel is involved in a various sports, including volleyball, soccer, track, and basketball. She is also on the debate team, served as president of her freshman class, and was on the homecoming court.
They live in an area that is zoned for another district, but Ariel chose to attend Molina and be with her mom. In their home district, ninth graders are still considered middle schoolers, and she said she wanted opportunities to broaden her horizons and rise to new challenges.
When Ariel, who is now a sophomore, approached her mom about going to Molina, Pegues asked if she was sure about her decision.
“I told her, ‘I’m your mom, and I’m going to be at school with you all the time,’” she said. “But, it’s really worked out. She’s thriving and excelling.”
Originally from California, Pegues moved to Texas after graduating from University of Southern California to be close to her mom. After spending some time in Houston, she moved to Dallas, where she started her teaching career.
“I always wanted to be a teacher. I saw it as being a role model to kids–being a role model or an adult to look up to that they may not have elsewhere” she said.
After getting certified to teach in Texas, Pegues started applying to Dallas ISD schools.
She had just accepted a promotion at a different job when she got a call from a district recruiter who asked her to come in for an interview at Molina. The school year had already started, so she said she wasn’t sure if it was the right opportunity. She went in for the interview anyway and was later offered a job.
She said a prayer, asking for guidance about what to do. A few moments later, she turned on the TV, and the word “teach” was written across the screen.
“The hairs on my arms stood up, and I was like, ‘Okay, well, I guess that’s my sign,’” she said.
She accepted the job at Molina, a full-circle moment that brought her back to her passion.
Now a 12-year veteran, she said the most rewarding part of being a teacher at Molina is the relationships she builds with her students.
“Not all kids have grown-ups that they can relate to. I try to be that person for them here at Molina,” she said. “I think it’s really important for kids to know that they have a safe space somewhere because you really don’t know what they’re going through.”
It’s her dedication to Molina that is creating a lasting legacy in the campus community.
“It’s leaving a positive impact where you’ve been,” Pegues said.
She’s leading by example, and paving the way for Ariel to establish her own legacy at Molina.
Whether it’s playing in a volleyball or soccer game or representing Molina as a speaker on the debate team, she hopes to be a positive influence for her classmates.
“I want to be a role model for younger generations, and inspire them to keep pushing and not give up,” she said.
Her advice for getting involved in school activities is to just do it.
“If you don’t get in, you don’t get in. You can try again next year, or try something different,” she said. “You don’t have to worry. If you don’t fit in one place, you can go somewhere else.”
The pair say the people of Molina play a large role in its legacy.
“It feels like home,” Ariel said. “It feels like family.”
