Childers looking at accounting career

There is no crime in wanting to move off and attend college some place far away, but for Caitlin Childers that is not the way she sees her future playing out.

Childers considers herself to be one of the oldest members in the class of 2010 as she reached the age of 19 right around the same time as her high school graduation.

Even though Childers was older than most of her classmates, she doesn’t feel like she has to go far to receive the additional education needed for her career.

“I plan on going and getting an accounting degree and becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA),” she said. “I could end up in a firm somewhere once I get my degree, but I would rather open up my own business somewhere, because I don’t necessarily like to be bossed around.”

In high school, Childers spent most of her spare time focused on athletics such as basketball, softball and tennis. She said all of her friends tell her to try out for cheerleader at UNA, but she says that is not happening.

“There is no way I’m going out for cheerleading,” she said. “I might try some intramural sports in college but that is as far as my athletic interests in college is going to go.”

Childers transferred from Vina to Red Bay in eighth grade and said the area in general would be a great place to come back to someday.

“I’ve thought about coming back and opening a firm here (Red Bay), but there are a lot of accountants up this way which could make for some stiff competition,” she said. “I’d really like to settle down around here though, because this is where my roots are and I know where everything is so why would I want to live somewhere else.”

Childers said she took plenty of business courses while in high school and along the way she has learned some things at home, which has pushed her to thinking about owning her own business someday.

“All of my family has been successful in owning their own business and I hope to keep the trend going one day,” she said.

Aside from pursuing her career, Childers said she would like to have a house “out in the sticks” one day, but when it comes to thinking about marriage she will take that subject seriously.

“Marriage is kind of a touchy subject for me,” she said. “There are lots of people that ask me ‘when are you going to get married.’ The truth is I’m probably going to wait until after college before I even think about that and plus my parents said they wouldn’t pay for my college if I got married early so I can’t really afford too.”

Some of the things Childers enjoys in her spare time is reading and, when it comes time, swimming.

Childers currently works as a lifeguard at Red Bay Fun Park for the summer until the fall semester begins at UNA.

If Childers could go anywhere in the world she would choose Italy because of her passion for Italian food and just hearing accents from people who live overseas.

Childers said the thing she misses the most about RBHS is how laid back it is and if she could change anything about the school she would definitely update the classrooms and equipment.

Friends describe Childers as a good balance of “tomboy” and “girly girl.” They also said she is trustworthy, outgoing and probably her most notable quality is her bluntness.

“I believe those qualities correctly describe me,” she said. “I’m a pretty open person. If you want to know something just ask me and I’ll pretty much just tell you like it is.”

Childers said she isn’t real sure what the future holds, but she hopes to end up close to home and living in the country one day.