Mrs. Maria Illich brings 35 years of educational experience to the classroom. In addition to teaching middle school English and creative writing, Mrs. Illich serves as a faculty co-sponsor for the National Junior Honor Society. As an undergraduate at the University of St. Thomas, Mrs. Illich received a degree in English Literature and was the Distinguished Graduate in English. She was also the first recipient of the Susan T. Scanlon Scholarship in Creative Writing. Mrs. Illich spends her spare time reading and writing. Her children’s book, The Legend of the Ladybug, won awards from the Press Women of Texas, the National Federation of Press Women, and was a finalist for best children’s picture book from the Texas Institute of Letters. Her YA novel, The Morcant Twins and the Curse of the Griseum, was nominated for a CYBILS Award and a Silver Falchion Award. She has been a juried poet numerous times for the Houston Poetry Fest. Her poems and short stories appear in various journals and anthologies. Visit her website at mariaillich.com for more information about her writing endeavors.