meet our Teachers

I have been working in Early Childhood Education for over a decade. For me, the most rewarding part of being a teacher is watching the progression of my students. Having them enter your classroom at the beginning of the school year with very little knowledge of even basic skills, and then seeing them write their full names and a full sentence at the end of the year is truly amazing. I have always loved the quote “the future of the world is in my classroom today”. 
A native of Germantown, TN, I received my Bachelors degree in Education from The University of Memphis. I then taught PreK at a Memphis area Catholic school for several years before moving to Arkansas in 2016. Coming from a large, close-knit family, I have enjoyed being around that same theme with all of the students and their families here at OLF. I have been teaching here for 3 years now. This year (2021) has been especially unique, as I served as the Preschool Interim Director and PreK 4 teacher for 17 students, one being my own daughter. Wow! What a year it has been! I am thankful to work with a wonderful administration and staff.  

afristick@olfbenton.org

I am from a small town in NW Arkansas. Being raised Catholic, I attended Mary, Mother of God Catholic Church with my family. Upon graduation from high school, I attended college at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where I received degrees in both English and Education as well as minors in history and biology. While there, I met my husband of 23 years. I am a licensed teacher with current certifications in Early Childhood Education, Elementary K-6, and Middle School English, Middle School Science, and Middle School Social Studies. I am also a Dyslexia screener and tutor in the Barton Reading and Spelling System. My husband, Rob, and I have 3 children all of whom have attended and one who is still attending Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School. We have been members of Our Lady of Fatima Church since 1997. While I have spent some time in public schools, my first and current full-time teaching job came from Our Lady of Fatima School and I am currently serving my  22nd year here. I feel and have always felt I have been called to serve God's children at this school. As a matter of coincidence, my grandparents kept a 3 foot statue of Our Lady of Fatima in their home. Perhaps learning to say the rosary in front of our Blessed Mother led me here. Our Lady of Fatima School is a family and I am blessed to be a part of it.

clittle@olfbenton.org

I am a first year teacher at Our Lady of Fatima. I teach science, Spanish, and language arts with the middle school. I'm excited to help these students learn to think critically and skeptically, study the beautiful world God has created for us, and learn about other cultures. Even with our present challenge, I think we have a bright year ahead of us."

jstevens@olfbenton.org

I was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I am a big sports fan and my favorite teams are all LSU teams, the New Orlean Saints and Pelicans, and the Houston Astros.I enjoy cooking, reading, movies, and spending time with family and friends. I graduated from Catholic High in Baton Rouge. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from Schreiner College (now Schreiner University) in Kerrville, Texas. I also have an MBA from Southern Wesleyan University in Central, South Carolina. This is the second time I have lived in Arkansas, the first was in the early 2000's. I am in my 6th year of teaching, with the first two being in a high school in South Carolina. Our Lady of Fatima is an extension of my family. I enjoy helping the students learn and seeing their excitement when they learn something new. I hope to instill a passion for our country and its history and maybe even a love for math.  Our Lady of Fatima is my extended family. I have been very happy for my three plus years here.

dcelestin@olfbenton.org