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Kristen Firth Betts, 2005

Kristen Firth Betts


February 25, 2011

I knew I wanted to be in the news since, well, forever.  My parents have video of me “reporting live” from the Twin Towers in New York at nine years old.  I was bit by the news bug early, and my education and extra-curricular experiences at McKinney Christian Academy, prepared me for the success I have achieved today.

I left public school to attend MCA in seventh grade. What a shock that was! The curriculum was harder, the classes smaller, and the teachers actually cared about my work. I was nurtured and encouraged by my teachers early on to pursue my writing career. I loved to write, and even in my MCA science classes, I had to perfect my writing skills. The education was so exceptional, that when I entered my freshman year at Baylor University, a professor chose my essay out of a class of 200 to use as an example.

I graduated as Salutatorian of my senior class, but beyond the classroom, I gained much more. While at MCA, I was able to join the basketball, vollleyball, track and golf team, because of the small class sizes. In each of those sports, I learned to push myself and work to achieve my goal. The proudest moment of my high school sports career, was winning the State Championship game on the girl’s varsity basketball team. I was also Student Government President, and helped plan MCA’s first official spring formal and homecoming. Realizing my goals inside and outside the classroom, prepared me for the competitive world of journalism.

After graduating from the University of Texas in Austin, where I transferred after my sophomore year at Baylor, I started in my field as a morning producer. Working long, challenging hours was no shock, after working so hard in high school.

I am now the main anchor for a Fox News affiliate in East Texas, Central Texas and the “Ark-la-tex” area. I do three shows a night in primetime, and I am thankful for the opportunity to do what I love, in a career I love.

Without the encouragement of some amazing teachers at MCA, and the challenging, yet rewarding work I did inside and outside the classroom is what helped get me here today. And for that, I am extremely grateful. I will always be a proud McKinney Christian Mustang.