Q & A: Shandra Drayton

What was your life like before Wando?

Before Wando, I was a graduate student getting my masters in teaching [at Oakland City University in Oakland City, Indiana]. It was pretty busy, but like school busy and work busy. I wasn’t married. I didn’t have any kids. I was like living my life. It was just busy with school.  

Where did you live/where are you from?

I am from Gary, Indiana. I live in Goose Creek.

What hobbies do you have outside of your occupation?

I like to read when I get the chance to. I like to play basketball. I just like watching TV, hanging with my friends. I love shoes. I just got some Jordan’s two days ago. Oh my God, they are awesome. I mean shopping, taking time for myself.

What’s the most intense memory that you have?

Being in a crowd of people rioting after Bobby Knight got fired at Indiana University, so that was pretty intense. It was scary. It’s very vivid. It happened almost 20 years ago.  

What’s your family like? What’s one of your favorite moments with them?

I have a husband [Assistant Principal Jason Drayton]. I have three children, two daughters and a son. They are very loud. They are obnoxious. Get on my nerves most of the time, but a good memory I’ve had with them. Like driving down to Florida to go see my parents. They’re funny. They make us laugh. Just spending time with them. Trying to watch them grow up and try not to let the time escape.

If you could describe your childhood in three moments, what would you say?

My first moment would be Christmas mornings. They were always very eventful, very big. My brother and I always got lots of presents. Lots of family always around. 

The second one would be being active in sports. I played basketball, volleyball, I ran track. I did softball. I would say spending time with my dad. He influenced me in those sports. 

And I would say the third memory from my childhood would be hanging out with my cousins.

Tell me a few specific moments that you can picture in your mind that made you who you are today?

That would be my moments in school with my teachers made me the teacher I am today and made me the friend and parent I am today. Just being molded by those people. My teachers were phenomenal, awesome role models. I could probably count on one hand how many crappy teachers I had. So probably those moments in the classroom and being molded by those teachers made me the woman I am today.

If you could reconnect with one person from your childhood, who would you choose to see again? Why?

I’m going to tell you the truth. It was my first crush, Bobby Barnes. It would be him. From the eighth grade. I wanna know how he’s doing. I don’t know what happened to him after high school. We went to different colleges. We lost contact. I mean I think he’s alive. If I could reconnect, it would be him. Not to like rekindle a little eighth grade romance, but just to see how he is doing. He was my friend.

What’s your favorite pet story?

I’ve only had one pet in my whole life. It was a black lab named Onix. My college roommate and I purchased her and brought her to our apartment without letting the landlord know, nor did we pay a pet deposit. She was an awesome dog, but one day when my roommate was walking her and got caught. We got busted by the landlord, so we got evicted. We got put out because of that dog. She was a sweet dog and we loved her. That’s the only pet I’ve ever had.