At the Norman North at Yukon football game, Yukon Principal Melissa Barlow and teacher Jennifer Edwards were presented a check for Science and Math education for Yukon High School by the people of Oklahoma Oil & Natural Gas.
This support will be benefiting Yukon STEM programs and teachers. Jennifer Edwards is one of the staff members benefiting from the donation.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Your hobbies, your passions.
I love spending time with my family, traveling to new places, and reading for fun. My favorite time of the year is fall because I can spend time curled up with a blanket and a good book.
What classes do/did you teach?
I currently teach computer science classes (CS Essentials, CS Principles, and Advance Placement CS Principles). They all are part of the Oklahoma Career Tech Education program which allows students to explore careers in this area and be part of the Technology Student Association (TSA) where they get to compete against other high school students in STEM-related areas.
Where did you go to college and what led you into teaching?
I attending the University of Central Oklahoma majoring in Marketing Communications after HS. I was very involved in DECA my senior year of HS placing at state competitions and going to nationals. That is why I pursued a degree in business and marketing. Ten years later I became a teacher because of the influence my HS DECA teachers had on me. Several years after I started teaching I attended East Central University receiving my master’s in education majoring in Instructional Design and Technology. I also became a national board-certified teacher in the area of career and technical education.
Who mentored you into the educator you are today?
My HS DECA teachers are some of the reasons I became a teacher. Early on in my teaching career, I became friends with a veteran teacher whom I still look up to today.
What do you love about teaching?
What I love about teaching the most is seeing when my students love what they are learning or finally get a difficult concept. I also love it when something a student learned in my class opens their eyes to a future career or possibility.
What is great about your current school?
For many years before I taught at Yukon HS I was a parent of a YPS student. I appreciate how even though Yukon is a growing community it still feels very connected. As a teacher, I feel supported by not just the community but by my administration and colleagues.
The People of Oklahoma Oil and Natural Gas are committed to supporting STEM education. Why is teaching Science and Math so important?
Science and Math are essential to the future. No matter what field or industry a student chooses to pursue beyond HS science and math are an aspect of it.
