English

English Department Staff

Ben Gilliam

Ben earned his B.A. in English Literature from Fort Lewis College in 2007 and his teaching credentials from Western State College a year later. He began teaching in 2009 at the Gunnison Valley School in Gunnison, CO. There, he learned the transformative power of experiential and outdoor education, because much of the curriculum took place outside of the traditional classroom. Then, in 2012, he moved to Florissant, CO and began teaching English at Manitou Springs High School. In 2016, Ben started the Manitou Abound Program (MAP) as a way to bring experiential and outdoor learning to MSHS and has since helped students find success by connecting their in-classroom learning with meaningful experiences outside of the classroom (including camping trips, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, nature journaling, and more). Outside of his role as teacher, Ben enjoys whitewater kayaking, photography, swimming, hiking, skiing, camping, reading and writing poetry, drawing, painting, and spending as much time as possible with his family: his park ranger/artist wife, Whitney, and their two adventure-loving dogs, Milo and Tobin.


Amanda Kerrigan
Educational Background. I graduate from La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1998. I followed in my father's footsteps and attended college at the University of Kansas, where I earned by BA in English, my BS in Secondary Education, and my MA in Education. (...and attended MANY basketball games).

Professional History. This is my 17th year as a professional educator. I did my student teaching for 1 year in inner city Kansas City, Kansas, working with kids impacted by poverty and gang violence. This experience was incredibly positive and growth inspiring. I spend my next 8 years at Mesa Ridge High School in Widefield School District 3 in southern Colorado Springs teaching everything from remedial reading courses to AP English Literature & Composition and CU Succeed English courses, serving as department chair, PLC leader, basketball coach, and in leadership in programs like AVID. My husband and I moved to La Veta, Colorado for the next 4 years for his job with Colorado Parks & Wildlife. I taught for this 4 years at La Veta Jr./Sr. High, a rural school with 50 students. When we returned to the Pike's Peak region, I spent another year at Mesa Ridge before accepting a position at Manitou Springs High School for the 2016-2017 school year. I teach both AP English courses, English 3, and Career Readiness English 3 at MSHS. I am also the National Honor Society Adviser, the Gay Straight Trans Alliance Co-sponsor, and a member of the District Accountability Committee. Manitou has become my forever home. My boys attend MSES, and we moved to Divide to be close to my husband's job as Park Manager at Mueller State Park.

Riley Walker
Riley Walker was born and raised in Colorado Springs and graduated from Air Academy High School. He studied Literature at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. During his time at Puget Sound, Riley published two poem and a short story, worked on the editorial staff at Crosscurrents Literary and Arts Journal, was the Poetry Editor at the Wetlands Magazine, and was a DJ for three years at the campus radio station, KUPS the Sound. During his time at the Sound, he had hip hop, punk rock, and classical music shows, and won the Graveyard Shift award for his midnight show Lingering Concerns that showcased scary and ominous music across genres. He completed his undergraduate thesis, graduated, and moved to Seattle for a year before returning to Colorado Springs. He has worked as a library aide at Cheyenne Mountain High School, helped to add academic intervention and restorative justice to the ISS program at Palmer High School, and taught English for two years at Mitchell High School. Following this, he briefly left the profession to manage special metropolitan districts, and during this two year period he was a CSHBA Emerging Leader. He returned to education, getting his Master of Arts in Teaching degree at Colorado College, doing his student teaching at Manitou Springs High School. Following this, he was brought on board at Manitou Springs High School.He is married, and lives in the Springs with his spouse and two cats, Fred and Leonard.

Pierce Gillard
Pierce Gillard is an English teacher at Manitou Springs High School. Bornand raised in Colorado Springs, Pierce graduated from the University ofWyoming in 2016, whereafter he happily returned home to colorful Colorado and began his teaching career at Manitou Springs High School.In the classroom he has taught multiple levels of English curricula,including English I, English I Honors, English II, AP Language andComposition, Creative Writing, and Mythology and Classics. He continuesto be excited to continue learning alongside the other teachers andstudents he gets to interact within our uniquely Manitou community.Outside of school, Pierce enjoys spending time with his wife hiking, biking, reading good books, going to see movies, watching far too muchtelevision, and playing with their dog.

Jessica Moen
Educational Background. I attended high school in Torrance, California and attended college during the fall immediately after high school. I earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education in 1998 and a Master of Arts Degree in Multicultural Education in 1999. After years of teaching, I decided to pursue a Doctorate of Education, which I earned in 2009. I believe in continuous learning and constant curiosity, which translates to continued education, oh and some student-loans. Most recently I completed an Administrative Credential, providing me with valuable insight into school administration and leadership.

Professional History. This is my 20th year as a public school teacher. I started teaching in Los Angeles Unified School District in 1999. When I first started teaching, I was drawn to elementary education and initially taught second grade! Before moving beyond elementary school, I taught second-sixth grades at Carson Street Elementary School in Carson, California before moving to Colorado. Once in Colorado, I initially taught in Jefferson County School District at Lasley Elementary School (an International Baccalaureate (IB) School), where I fell in love with six grade curriculum and the developmental stages of the students.

However, as I was looking to deepen my experiences as an educator, I decided to transition to middle school and found a home in Douglas County Schools at Mountain Ridge Middle School, where I taught seventh grade social studies. Oh, history...I love it! I was fortunate enough to gain access to an amazing campus, Sky Vista Middle School, in Cherry Creek Schools, where I taught sixth and eighth grade history. The curriculum model was so refreshing, engaging, and effective that my time at that school has forever changed how I plan curriculum. However, the drive to Sky Vista Middle School as too cumbersome once I moved to Manitou Springs, so I had to find a new place of employ, which led me to Discovery Canyon Campus in District 2 (also an IB school), where I taught middle school humanities.
While I enjoyed parts of being of the Thunder-hood, I believed that my truest love would be found closer to my front door, which is why I looked to become a Manitou Mustang and my final transition into high school English. Teaching English has allowed me to explore why I think English is a vital subject in school. I believe that we are all searching for the meaning of life and stories, both fiction and non-fiction, hold the power to show what it means to be human. Stories hold the opportunity to share the broad spectrum of our experiences, to show us that we are not alone or to prove there is always hope, no matter how dark the current moment seems. Stories have the power to give perspective to our triumphs and our trials. Stories can be a mirror to the brightest parts of our souls, as well as for the darkest sections of our secret selves. Words are powerful catalysts and can inspire change from within and change from without. Stories are life. Stories are magic.

See the Curriculum Handbook for English courses we offer