A school cannot run without staff, including administrators and necessary support staff. Custodians, secretaries, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, nurses, and counselors are all important. But it is the teachers who make school special. They are the “glue” of NAHS. Without these educators, there would be no learning during the school day. There is no doubt that without them, even with the countless hours of work they give students, the school would fall apart. Yet, what inspires teachers to get involved in the education system?
Oddly enough, many teachers had different professions before finding themselves back in a high school. Travis Poland, a ninth-grade fast-track math teacher, wasn’t originally a Geometry and Algebra 2 teacher. Before Poland came to North, he was at a desk job. His desire to be in a place where every day was different prompted him to leave. He chose to become a teacher because, in college, he was involved in supplemental instruction, and to him, it felt more meaningful. “I left that job because I wanted to begin a career that is more purposeful,” he said.
Like Mr. Poland, journalism teacher, Jack Stenger had a different job before he went into teaching. Working as a journalist, Stenger eventually came to the decision that he wanted a position where he wasn’t just sitting at a desk and where he had a larger impact on youth. He wanted a job with variety. “I very much wanted a job where every day was dynamic, different, and presented its own challenge,” he said.
If one thing is for certain, it is that the students make the role of a teacher rewarding. Every day, teachers put so much time and effort into molding and changing the lives of their high schoolers. When students graduate and move on to a life full of the unexpected and the unknown, it creates a sense of pride. Pride in the contribution they made as a teachers, and in the ability to prepare students for the future. In other words, the success of their students makes their jobs worthwhile. “It is so rewarding to me when I see kids graduate to really good colleges,” Stenger said. “The sense that you know they will have a great life and knowing I have a part in that, makes every moment with them meaningful”.
Next time you see your teacher in the hall, think about how they got into the 11-story building and why they are there. Every one of them put in an immense amount of effort to help their kids succeed and soar.
