Class of ‘02 alumna Jennifer Lee, one of a handful of current teachers to have graduated from the school, recalls loving science ever since she was a little girl.
From an obsession with biology to chemistry and now to her recent passion for teaching physics, Lee’s career path has come full circle, returning to her alma mater to share her love for science, with seven years and counting in the district, five of those being spent at SHS.
Jumping through different passions and job opportunities in science, Lee considered becoming a research scientist and a doctor throughout her college years.
After high school, Lee studied at Stanford University, receiving her bachelor’s in science in biology, her bachelor’s in arts in psychology, and her master’s in education.
After college, much of Lee’s teaching experience was in life science. Physics was an interest she developed much later, and was not a subject she had originally thought she would teach.
The opportunity to teach physics came to her when teachers like Kirk Davis were retiring and a demand for science teachers in the district was increasing. She decided to seek this opportunity because it would not only help the department, but also broaden her own horizons and help her learn something new.
“I’ll be honest, I didn’t love physics before, but teaching it has been really amazing. I love the curriculum and how practical and tangible physics is,” Lee said.
As a student here more than two decades ago, Lee had even had longtime teacher Lisa Cochrum as her biology teacher, as many current freshmen do. In general, she recalls having great experiences with all her science teachers and looks back on all the memories she made here with fondness.
Although her favorite subjects were in the realm of science, Lee said that her favorite teachers were the ones who connected with their students, regardless of subject.
“I loved my Spanish teacher, Arnoldo Rodriguez. He was amazing,” Lee said. A standout role model for Lee and countless other students, Rodriguez has recently been recognized in the SHS Hall of Fame for his teaching efforts here over four decades.
While Lee went to SHS, the school’s schedule was vastly different, with days split into periods about 50 minutes long — and students would go to all their classes on the same day.
Lee recalls having a full schedule for her first three years of high school, even doubling up on science courses because of her interest. Due to the full, packed schedule during Lee’s school days, she ended up seeing her teachers every single day for a lot less time, leaving little time to connect unless one came early or stayed after class.
Lee thinks having a tutorial while she was a student would have made a huge difference; it could provide a dedicated time for her to be able to ask questions and connect with her teachers, as many students do now.
“I left this school not really being able to advocate for myself or knowing when to ask for help, and I think a part of that is because there wasn’t an obvious avenue for me to be able to practice doing that,” Lee said.
Lee said that when she was a student here, the academic pressure was fairly intense, just as it is now. Taking challenging classes and trying to be accepted at elite colleges was the reality she experienced.
“In that way, SHS hasn’t really changed. This community has always valued education,” Lee said. “One thing that feels different for me is the culture in the world surrounding education.”
Compared to the late 1990s and early 2000s, the amount of pressure for teens to take summer courses and jobs, or just keep grades up to unreasonable standards has only gone up, she said.
Since students here often obsess over their grades and future, Lee understands that they are going to take advantage of the opportunities she never had. And as a teacher, she hopes to be there for them every step of the way.
“I hope that all the students here at SHS do take advantage of tutorial and ask for help and work with people. Utilize what’s available to you,” Lee said.
