Most people know Mrs. Stephen from her chemistry and physics classes along with being the advisor of the Robotics Club. However, what many students may not know is what interests her outside of school, her childhood stories, and her plans for the future.
Outside of school, Mrs. Stephen takes part in her church choir and sings soprano. She has loved singing since she was a child, and she says that it makes her feel more spiritually connected.
Mrs. Stephen is also a Girl Scout leader for a troop in Edison. Mrs. Stephen was a Girl Guide in Jamaica and greatly appreciates the experience as it taught her several important life skills, such as knot-tying. “My most memorable experience is when I was stuck on the highway and my car bumper fell off my car, and I always have a scarf on my head because that is what they taught us as Girl Guides, and I used the scarf to tie up my bumper, and it was on there for 3 weeks, and when I brought it to a mechanic, he was like ‘Who the heck tied this? I can’t get it off!’”
Mrs. Stephen recalls her experience of moving to the U.S. from Jamaica being “very rough.” She remembers her family giving away school books and clothes to neighbors, friends, and family in preparation for their move to the United States. However, the day before they had to leave, the immigration office called to inform them that their visas hadn’t been approved, so they had to stay behind for longer than expected. With their school books and most of their clothes given away, they had to readjust to school in Jamaica without these resources. These struggles didn’t end even when Mrs. Stephen’s family moved to the U.S. She recalls the difference in the student-teacher dynamic from what she was used to. “I just remember my first experience in biology class. The teacher asked a question—this was the most impactful moment of my high school career—and I knew the answer because this coursework was very easy. So I raised my hand, and when the teacher calls on you in Jamaica, you are supposed to stand up, put your hands behind your back, look directly at the teacher and answer the question in complete sentences. That’s what I did. The whole class was on the floor. I never spoke again for two years.”
Despite these challenges, Mrs. Stephen pursued her passions and received her degree in biochemistry. She graduated with plans to be an obstetrician/gynecologist and deliver babies for a living. However, when she began doing work at an internship before Medical School, she realized that medicine wasn’t for her. “I saw ladies giving birth and I fainted and said, uhh, I guess this isn’t for me. It was just too traumatic.” She took an inventory test to see which career fit her best, and the results showed that she was a strong teacher. This helped motivate Mrs. Stephen to switch her field. “I applied to grad school and a fellowship, and I have liked it so far.”
Mrs. Stephen plans on retiring in 9 years and wants to give back by becoming a maternity leave substitute since she herself struggled to find someone to replace her both times her children were born. “I just felt like that’s not fair. Trying to be a mom, being a woman, being the one to carry a baby, and wanting a career. Not having anyone take over is hard. So, I just wanted to give back.”
All in all, such experiences of teachers show that there is so much more to a teacher apart from the side of themselves they show in the classroom.