Howdy! Welcome to my faculty page!

My name is Melissa Larson and I am proud to call Otto Middle School my new home. I was born and raised in San Antonio, TX, but am excited to be living in the Metroplex! After graduating from high school, I obtained my Bachelor's in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University and then my Master's in Agriculture and Natural Resource Science from Tarleton State University. I was a graduate teaching assistant while at Tarleton and really enjoyed my time in the Wildlife, Sustainability, and Ecosystem Sciences department. I've also worked as a wildlife intern with Texas Parks and Wildlife, and participated in study abroad trips to both Southern Africa and the Caribbean. 

My purpose as an educator is to foster a love for lifelong learning in all of my students, create a safe and engaging classroom environment, encourage positive collaboration between peers, and ultimately make a difference in the lives of the children that I teach.

When I'm not teaching, I love to hike with my adventure buddy, Buck (my blue heeler/border collie mix), mainly because I enjoy being outside in nature in my spare time. I also enjoy birding in the local parks and nature preserves, as well as reading fiction novels and watching TedTalks.