After battling breast cancer for seven years, Special Education teacher Shannon Odom passed away on Aug. 4, 2016. During the 2015-16 school year, Odom continued to work at North, despite her deteriorating condition. Many students grew to love and cherish her. As a result, the 2015 Pink Out pep rally was held in her honor; during which she received a portion of the profit made from Future Teacher Intern’s (FTI) T-shirt sale. This year, FTI will donate 50 percent of the profit made from the T-shirts to Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure in Odom’s name. Odom had a memorial service in Allen, Texas and a graveside service in her hometown of Stephenville, Texas, both officiated by math teacher Craig Wilson.

“It may seem a little strange, or even morbid to some, but it is an honor to me to represent the deceased, the family and God at a funeral and at a memorial service,” Wilson said. “I take it as a very serious, but important honor, that I am [officiating] to meet the needs of the family and friends. I feel like one of my duties as a pastor is to minister to people in very difficult times.”

During the time that Odom was ill, Special Education teacher Michelle Sargent helped her in various ways. For instance, she helped her get around the school when she lost her strength. Sargent and Wilson have both said they are proud to have seen the different ways in which the students and staff reacted to the situation.

“Getting Ms. Odom to and from classes all year gave me an interesting perspective through which to view this school and all the Raiders within,” Sargent said. “Every day, in fact many times every day, as I was pushing my buddy’s wheelchair, I was so struck by the kindness and thoughtfulness of the students in the hallways. Whenever the students saw Ms. Odom coming down the hall, they would make it a point to greet her [and] smile at her. They would even stop what they were doing and walk several feet to the next set of doors so they could hold it open for her. Ms. Odom and I used to talk about it all the time. What a gift it was for both of us to get the chance to witness so many Raider acts of kindness!”

“I just think that she was such a compassionate, caring person. She loved the students here. She used to come into Biology Room 5 last year with Mr. Pelayo, and her daughter used to go to church with us. But, last year, I saw her interactions with the kids. She was wonderful with them, even though she was undergoing her cancer treatments. She was always helping, and always so kind.”
Science teacher Reagan Vinson

As a former military brat, I have met a lot of people in my life, but Shannon Odom was “one in a million.” When I first came here, I had a difficult time learning the paperwork (well…I am still learning it..ha!). Ms. Odom would come right over and help me. Later in the day, after school was over, she would rest her head on her desk. At first, I did not know the degree of her illness. Shannon was incredibly knowledgeable in science. Shannon’s mother told me that she would even tutor her older siblings in science because she had always taken such an interest in the subject. She made herself well-informed about her cancer and knew all the technical terms, and I would imagine she could converse easily with doctors. She was definitely your “left brain” type of person, but she did not mind a “right brainer.” I came in one day talking on and on forever about cats…Shannon just stared for a second, as if in disbelief, and then giggled! Ms. Odom was one of the bravest people I have ever met, and I will carry her memory in my heart forever!
Special Education teacher Kathryn Hilliard