Early registration D’Andre attended Southwestern College in Kansas and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. During his sophomore year at Southwestern, his eye caught a glimpse of Krystle – soon-to-be Mrs. Foster. Their romance started off bumpy with a first date story for the books. “I had a ‘93 Buick Century and she had a newer Toyota Camry, but we decided to drive my car,” said D’Andre. “We go to the movies and McDonald’s after. We get back in the car and my car won’t go in reverse. She hopped out in her stiletto heels and started pushing the car. I knew that I had to take her seriously and do everything I could to hold on to her.” After five years of dating, D’Andre and Krystle tied the knot in 2009. They’ve been piecing together their happy-ever-after since. The Fosters welcomed daughter, Gabrielle, in 2013 and son, Demias, in 2019. Graduate course A few weeks before his conversation with MetroFamily, D’Andre talked with his wife about the parenting goals he hopes to achieve. For D’Andre, this means a concentrated effort to put his cell phone down and enjoy all of life’s small, fleeting moments. He doesn’t want to miss a thing.
“I wanted to be less focused on responding to messages and emails, including social media,” said D’Andre. “My daughter is 9 now, and she’s at an age where she is going through some changes and transitions. I want to be present to hear what needs to be heard and connect when I need to connect. I try to be intentional about communication.” D’Andre has come full circle with a return to Douglass High School as an AP history teacher and coordinator for the Academy of Law and Public Safety. This fall will be his fifth year teaching at his alma mater. He says he’s back for the long haul. “My first-day teaching, a student said ‘How long are you gon’ be here?’” recalled D’Andre. “I am here until they fire me!” At Douglass, D’Andre teaches beyond the classroom by advocating for his students and offering a listening ear for problems they are experiencing in and out of class. “If I’m not teaching at Douglass, I don’t really feel like I will be called to teach,” said D’Andre. “Them knowing that I am rooted in the Eastside goes a long way for my students.” Editor’s note: This article is the fourth in a year-long series celebrating local dads. Author Lance Evans and husband Chris are fathers of Chrystian and were voted MetroFamily’s 2021 Cool Pops.
METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / SEPT-OCT 2022 21
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