Photo taken by Noelle Miller
Kelly Greer is a counselor at South Salem High School, and has been at South for two years now. She went to Western Oregon for her undergraduate, where she majored in psychology and minored in Spanish.
“I was lucky enough to study abroad in Spain for three to four months during my time at Western,” Greer said.
Greer’s Inspiration
After her time in Spain, she went on to work for the Boys and Girls Club, alongside getting her masters at Oregon State. From the Boys and Girls club, she went on to work as a middle school counselor for 19 years. She worked at Leslie Middle school for 5 years before coming to South. She has always drawn her inspiration from Oprah, as she loves all the things she is done for people all over the world.
“Oprah has her own girls school, and spends time over there inspiring students, and not only that but everything that she has done for the community that she lives in,” Greer said.
Advice for students
She was also heavily influenced by her mother. She is not around anymore but she helped Greer to become the mom she is now. Just like she looks up and is inspired by others, she also wants to help and give advice to anyone who wants it.
“As young people, when you start to grow up, I would say to find your passion, something that you enjoy doing every single day and try to make that your career. I’ve been a counselor for 21 years and I have seriously loved for the most part all 21 years, everyday I feel thankful for my job and I would want for everyone to feel that way,” Greer said.
Greer’s Favorite trip
Aside from loving her job, Greer loves to learn, play, and improve at playing tennis, workout, watch and support her kids in their sports, spend time with her husband and walk her dog. She also likes to travel away from home, and recently went to Maui for the first time.
“Brian, my husband, our boys and I went with a group of friends. The island was gorgeous. I actually got to see where Oprah lives. We played pickleball, swam in the ocean, went on hikes and swam in the pool. It was so much fun.”
Not only did she go to Maui, but she also got to see her favorite artist, P!nk, in Las Vegas. She went with 10 other women, including Tracy Isham.
“I really want to go to her concert in Tacoma, but since it is in the beginning of the school year next year, I might not be able to,” Greer said.
Greer’s Favorite Things
Her favorite songs by P!nk are Courage and Cover me in sunshine, which features P!nk’s daughter, Willow Sage Hart. If she is not being active in her free time, then she watches some of her favorite movies, which include ‘The Proposal’, ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’, which was recommended to her by students at Leslie.
“My favorite places to go in Salem are Salem’s Tennis and Swim for Tennis, Swim and Pickleball. I also like to go to La Margarita, Fork Forty and the Beehive for food,” Greer said.
She is currently learning to play pickleball and tennis at Salem’s Tennis and Swim, and has been wanting to learn for a while now.
“I have not wanted to learn to play Tennis or Pickleball my whole life, but now that I am older and I like to be competitive, those are both activities that I enjoy doing, and playing with others,” Greer said.
