In the library, on Eila Overcash’s desk, exists a world unto itself. An elegant white stead rears up on its hind legs while its gnome rider clings tight. Perhaps less galant but still beautiful are two squat gremlins, both with extreme underbites that cover any lips they might have had and lopsided but endearing eyes. Between the pair rests some wood propped up on a mini easel, pasted with a glittery red heart which both embodies the face of Bob Ross and the librarian sitting behind it. A message on it reads, “Didn’t you know you had that much power? You can move mountains.”
Between the space that separates Mrs. Overcash’s desk from that of her close friend and colleague, Catherine Blue, resides an altar to reading, containing a studious black cat, nose buried in a book. In the middle of these two worlds is Mrs. Overcash herself, colorful glasses perched on her nose.
However, Overcash is leaving Summit, teachers and students both behind, to go abroad. With her daughter Liliana graduating college last year, Overcash and her husband started to discuss what they wanted to do now. Neither of them have traveled much before, so the conversation naturally looked across seas. Initially, Overcash signed up with an agency that publicized international jobs and started to look around for jobs in literature and a library, before landing a library position in Switzerland at a boarding school. On top of all the exciting experiences of living out of the country, Overcash is most excited about cheese.
“One thing I’m looking forward to is Raclette, they take cheese and heat it up on a broiler then scrape it off onto bread. And they have vending machines with cheese, I’m super looking forward to cheese,” said Overcash.
Although the prospect of cheese makes the transition to Europe easier, there is still sadness accompanying the move and parts of Summit Overcash will miss.
“I’ll miss all kinds of things, but most, that one right there,” Overcash said, gesturing to Blue. “I’m going to miss Catherine so much.”
While Summit wishes Overcash the best of fun and cheese in Switzerland, the humor, passion and understanding she has brought to Summit as a teacher and librarian will be dearly missed.
“As a librarian, she has a lot of knowledge and experience in just about everything that makes a school library great,” said Blue, her fellow librarian and close friend. “Personally I think she’s got a spectacular sense of humor and it is my great delight to get to sit next to her for nearly 10 years, and I’m not sick of her yet.”
From a very young age it seemed that Overcash was destined to enter a profession in literature of some kind. You could say that this love stemmed in part from her mom sharing the wonders of books such as the “Little House on the Prairie” at night or the broader culture of literature in her house, but overall the there is no specific place in time you could pin down when Overcash fell in love with books.
“From the minute I could read, I just loved it,” said Overcash.
Her passion for learning and reading manifested in her career as an English teacher. After attending Willamette University for her graduate and undergraduate degree, Overcash spent five years teaching in various parts of Oregon and even Alaska for a year. However, while teaching in Estacada, Overcash ended up quitting.
Luckily for Summit, Overcash’s break from teaching didn’t last long and we can thank a classic ‘90s song for that. During her time away from teaching, Overcash worked a job at Eddie Baur, and one day when driving to her shift, the radio began to play the song “Hands” by Jewel. The song, melancholy and hopeful in spirit, backed with piano, speaks to the power that everyone has a purpose and the potential to contribute amazing things to the world around them.
“I was like, oh my god, that’s right, I can do much more than what I’m doing now. And so I signed up to be a sub and started looking for something back in school,” said Overcash.
Her passion and love for teaching brought her eventually to Summit’s doorstep where she taught English classes, including honors and regular. Although she loved her role in Summit as a teacher, the lack of free time proved to be difficult for her and her family.
“My kid was four, and one day I walked into her bedroom to tell her dinner was ready and she was sitting at her desk scribbling furiously on paper. And she said, ‘I can’t come there right now, mom, I’m grading papers’–and that was like a knife to the heart.”
Soon after, Overcash made the switch to the library in order to have more time with her daughter.
Overcash’s creativity bloomed in the library where she sought to expose kids to books in an innovative way. In her quest to achieve this, she introduced the Living Library where students who didn’t like sitting down to read books could interact with stories through speakers that visited Summit. Highschool is a busy time for lots of students and many don’t have time to read for an hour, but experiencing stories that are unlike one’s own is nonetheless important.
“I think it is very important to give students the opportunity to hear stories from people who have lived different lives from them. So we bring these living books who have stories to tell and to help people understand, and it breaks down stereotypes and barriers and builds empathy,” said Overcash.
Not only does Overcash understand the ways in which to get teenagers to engage in stories but she also has a more clear understanding of teenagers in general. Overcash describes a time when Miller Elementary School was still being built and Summit students had to share their space with kindergarteners. Before the merger happened, many people were worried about how teenagers would interact with kids years below them. However, Overcash never doubted the kindness teenagers harbored under all the angst, and her hypothesis proved to be true as the school witnessed the opposite of the fears that many voiced.
“The highschool kids were so great and wonderful with the little kids. It was super fun to see that combination of little kids and big kids who were in so many ways the exact same other than size. It was amazing, ” said Overcash.
Overcash admires teenagers’ kindness and sensitivity and will be sad to leave them at the end of the year. She has remained a thoughtful and fun teacher for generations of Summit students.
“She controls the class really well and has a good understanding of how to keep every kid listening,” said Tessa Hoffmann, a sophomore in Overcash’s seminar class. “She’s very respected but is also fun and funny.”
Summit is confident that Overcash will “move mountains” in Switzerland but we will miss the creativity, kindness and commitment she brings to our community.
