Ms. Hicks is originally from New Jersey. She moved to Winston-Salem for school and continued living there after graduating. She graduated from Salem College in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Psychology. She was previously co-teaching at an Elementary School in Winston-Salem in a Kindergarten, First Grade and Fifth Grade classroom. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, friends and dogs, camping, running, the beach and exploring new places.

Mrs. Hoover was born and lived in Greenville, SC for most of her life.  She graduated from Furman University and received her BA in Elementary Education.  She taught in Greenville for 2 years before leaving the field. She worked for SYNNEX Corporation, a technology distribution company, in sales, and then, in marketing for 17 years. When she moved to Raleigh in the Summer of 2021, she realized it was her chance to get back into education as she'd dreamed of for years. It turned out perfectly when she was hired to work at Root where her daughter Samantha attends school. She got married to her husband Paul (a Raleigh native) in December 2021. Their family enjoys checking out new spots in Raleigh, going to the Saturday Farmer's Market, gardening, playing with their goldendoodle, Peanut, and going on vacations to the beach (all beaches 🙂). She is looking forward to another great year at Root!

Ms. Mares was born in Wrightsville Beach, NC, and grew up in Richmond, VA. She graduated from East Carolina University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and a concentration in reading. Ms. Mares previously taught Kindergarten in Pitt County. She is excited about teaching 2nd grade again, which she taught for her internship. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, exploring Raleigh, and cooking. She is looking forward to joining the Root family!

Ms. Perry was born in Virginia and later moved to Charleston, South Carolina when she was nine. She attended the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. This past May, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Spanish. During college, she was an active member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. During the summer of 2022, she participated in an immersion program at the University of Cádiz in Spain. She has volunteered at the Wade Center, which is a non-profit organization that serves underprivileged youth, since she was sixteen. Volunteering there has made her passionate about working with children and assisting in their education. In her free time she likes to spend time with friends and family, watch Real Housewives, and play with her chocolate lab puppy Georgia. Ms. Perry is super excited about becoming a part of the Root family!

Mrs. Sparrow was born and raised in Raleigh, and attended Root as a student. She graduated from  N.C. State with a degree in Applied Nutrition Science.  She returned to N.C. State a year later and earned a MAT degree in 2015, and has taught in WCPSS schools since then.  Mrs. Sparrow and her husband have two dogs, Lila and Rusty.  When she is not teaching, Mrs. Sparrow enjoys reading, cheering on the N.C. State Wolfpack, and spending time with her family! She is thrilled to be a part of the Root family!