Steve Barry - Woodworking
Coming Soon...
Matt & Ginny Brannon - Theater & Adulting 101
Matt and Ginny serve as the Theater and Adulting 101 teachers for Blaze. This fabulous husband wife duo met and fell in love in the Baylor University Theatre Department. Both graduated with Bachelors of Fine Arts in Performance. Matt and Ginny are faithful members of First Montgomery and are always willing to serve in any capacity needed. Matt and Ginny have two adorable children who are the light of their lives.
Shelbie Cano - Photography & Elementary Art
She always thought art class was the coolest place on the planet until she stepped into the darkroom her freshman year and quickly realized her love for science, problem solving, and art could be in one room! Years later she started her own photography business that taught her much about life and business! She was honored to homeschool each of her three kids now 15, 17, and 23 off and on throughout the years. She currently loves teaching elementary Sunday school, diy’ing home projects, and picking for her vintage resale business.
Mandelin Cooper - American History
John Douglas - Physics
John graduated from Sam Houston State University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, with a minor in Mathematics and Music. He and his wife have lived in this area for fifteen years with their three children and their miniature dachshund Mollie. His wife has homeschooled their children their entire lives, and they are big supporters of the homeschool lifestyle and community. They are members of the Montgomery First Baptist Church where John is a deacon. He also enjoys helping out in the church’s sound booth on Sundays.
Stephanie Douglas - English
Stephanie graduated from Sam Houston State University, specializing in Reading and Language Arts. She and her husband John are parents to three terrific children ages 6, 11 & 13. Stephanie’s quick wit, love for music, nature, and of course books make her the perfect fit for this class! Her passion for teaching and acceptance of multi-sensory styles of learning is sure to bring words to life for all students in her class! When not in the classroom at Blaze, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family, volunteering in various church ministries, gardening and playing games!
Courtney Dye - Sewing & Elementary Science
Courtney is passionate about helping kids grow in confidence and curiosity through hands-on learning. She brings her love of nature, science, and crafting into each lesson she teaches. Courtney has a background in Agricultural Science from Sam Houston State, "Eat 'em up, Kats!," and her sewing journey began at age 8 in Girl Scouts - an experience that planted the seed for a lifelong creative passion. When she's not teaching, Courtney enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, working in her garden, riding her favorite horse, Dallas, and serving at First Montgomery.
Elysa Evergreen - Biology & Environmental Science
I graduated with a Master’s of Science, from University of California San Diego in 2011, after publishing a study on cerebral lateralization patterns in the bonobo. I did my research at the San Diego Zoo, while serving as a teaching assistant at UCSD. After graduating, I’ve spent the last 20 years teaching at the university level, both in the USA and abroad at the University of Duisburg-Essen, in Germany, where I lived for 5 years. Topics taught include molecular methods of evolutionary biology, genetics, conservation biology, biochemical techniques, human reproduction, water chemistry, and environmental science. I’m currently an adjunct professor for San Jacinto College, and teach dual credit for Lone Star College and several homeschool campuses. My husband and I have 5 kids and live on a farm, where we raise bees and poultry. My hobbies include wildlife rehabilitation with Texas Parks & Wildlife, and I serve as a CASA advocate for kids in the foster care system.
Pastor Chris Gober - Theology
Pastor Chris and his wife Marci came to First Montgomery in December of 2015 after he was called to ministry while on a mission trip in El Salvador. His background had been in Information Technology, having received his bachelors in Computer Engineering from Texas A&M in 1996. While at A&M he met his wife Marci, who was studying Elementary Education. Chris and Marci married in 1996 and have 4 children: Grace,Clay, Laura, and Emma. Pastor Chris went on to earn his Master of Divinity from B. H. Carroll Theological Institute.
Rebecca Grimm - English 10th-12th
Rebecca Grimm graduated Cum Laude from SHSU with a BA in English. Her passion is for American literature, and her strength is teaching the fundamentals of analytical writing. She and her husband run a construction company around the Magnolia area and feel blessed to have raised their five kiddos in such an amazing community! Mrs. Grimm is excited to get to know the staff and students this coming year at Blaze.
Terri Ingram - Junior High Science
Terri Ingram has a heart for pouring into others about what God has done and is doing in this life. She has been married to Darrell for 28 years and has a daughter, Noel. Terri homeschooled Noel who graduated in 2023 from Blaze and is thriving in College. Terri holds a BBA in Marketing from Sam Houston State University. Previously, the Ingram’s served the Lord overseas as Missionaries for 15 years amongst Muslims throughout Central Asia. Upon returning to the U.S., she has been a Pre-school Science teacher since 2017. She has served in her church in the areas of children, youth and young adults for the past 7 years. She loves exploring God’s creation and is excited about doing that with Blaze students.
Evelyn Jackson - Elementary Spanish
Evelyn Jackson was born and raised in Monterrey, N.L., México, where she lived until moving to the United States at age 20. She earned her college degree in Industrial Design, studying both in Mexico and in Milan, Italy.
A lifelong Spanish speaker, Evelyn has shared her native language with her own children from a young age and has worked on translation projects for companies alongside her professional career. She is passionate about introducing others to the beauty of the Spanish language and the richness of Mexican culture.
Evelyn, her husband and their two kids moved to Montgomery four years ago in search of a close-knit community, more space to connect with nature, and values that aligned with their own. They live on land where their children can grow up surrounded by the outdoors, continuing a deep family connection to the area — her father-in-law’s grandparents were among the early families in downtown Montgomery.
Creative, artsy, and always ready with a smile, Evelyn brings energy, warmth, and a love for culture to her Spanish classes, inspiring students to embrace language as a bridge to new experiences and perspectives.
Jessa Millwee - 6th-7th Literature
Jessa Millwee has lived in various states throughout her life and now calls Texas her home. She graduated from Florida College, Western Kentucky University, and Point Loma Nazarene University. Through these colleges she earned an Associate’s degree with a focus in education, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Child Studies, and a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential. She has been teaching in some capacity since college with a special focus on Art and Literature. Jessa loves helping her students learn and grow, especially in the subjects for which she has a passion. Jessa has been making art for as long as she can remember. As a largely self-taught artist, she has had the opportunity to exhibit her work in galleries and participate as a chosen artist in events such as the Via Arte: Italian Street Painting Festival. When not in the classroom she enjoys creating art, reading, spending time with her family, and exploring the outdoors through hiking, backpacking, and traveling.
Aya Monreal - Art
Aya has been drawing for as long as he can remember.He still has artwork from when he was in grade school, and through middle school and high school. In middle school, his art instructor changed the way that he approached and looked at his artwork. Taking those words and advice into his work created a huge change in his skill and technique. He wants to pass those things onto the next generation of artists. He is a firm believer in "To break the rules of art, you must understand the rules first", where to really learn how to draw anime art, you need to know basic anatomy. "Everything in life can be broken down into squares, triangles and ellipses", learning how to recognize shape theory and apply it to your art is crucial for understanding and recreating design.I specialize in concept art, anime characters, creatures, logo design, and more. He is still learning landscape drawing and drawing plants. He has always wanted to pass on what he's learned to students that couldn't normally have access to instruction. Please feel free to visit his online portfolio at www.conceptengineerdesign.com.
Paul Moon - World Geography & Bible Survey
Paul Moon currently serves as Associate Minister with First Montgomery and has been a public school teacher since 2010. He began teaching at The Colony High School where for two years he taught Algebra I, Geometry, and English I in the Special education setting as well as Dyslexia I. He taught World Geography, Honors World Geography, and AP Human Geography at Conroe High School for 13 years and served as Geography Team Lead for 3 years prior to leaving CHS. Paul graduated from East Texas Baptist University with a BA in Religion and a minor in Sociology. He also completed coursework at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in the fields of church planting and Christian school education.
Terry Sherman - Math
After graduating her seven homeschooled children, Terry began tutoring Math 7 years ago. She graduated from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and went on to teach fifth grade public school. Besides helping her students understand and grasp Math concepts, she loves spending time with her husband, her kids, and her seven grandchildren. Her hobbies include sewing, gardening, and crocheting.
Laina Standard - Choir and World History
Laina will be teaching both of our choir classes (2nd-5th grade and 6th-12th) at Blaze! As a homeschooling mom for over 18 years, she's combined her passion for music with education. Her journey began in early childhood, diving into music studies, she went on to become a piano teacher and certified voice teacher. Alongside her family, they've nurtured a vibrant music academy in Montgomery since 2010. She firmly believes in the transformative power of music education, seeing it as a catalyst for holistic learning. Her ultimate goal is to foster a culture of worship among students, enriching every facet of their lives.