Kelly Rock teaches AP biology, gifted biology, and college prep biology. Rock has been part of the Panther family for 24 years. Rock’s love for science and getting her students to appreciate science are what fuel her to keep teaching. (Katie Johnson)

What was the moment you knew that you wanted to be a teacher?

“When I went to college I was going in the field of medicine, then I decided that wasn’t the right career path for me,” science department chair and biology teacher Kelly Rock said. “So after I decided that wasn’t the right career pathway, then it became, ‘What is it that I do want to do?’ It just so happened that one of my counselors in high school had told me that she thought I would make a good teacher.”

Why did you choose this subject? 

“I actually chose science before I chose teaching,” Rock said. “I have always been interested in science, and then teaching became my way of conveying my passion for science to others.”

What do you enjoy about teaching high school students?

“High school students can take care of themselves for the most part,” Rock said. “But the other thing is that high school students are fun. You are like mini-adults, but not quite adults yet. So I’m able to joke around with them, and we can have serious conversations.” 

Tell me about your favorite day of teaching.

“My favorite day of teaching is a day when students move around the classroom talking to themselves saying, ‘That was fun’,” Rock said. “Hearing them when the bell rings and students say, ‘What? We are already at the end of class?’”

Why not a different career?  

“I was at the end of my college career when I decided that this was not what I wanted to do in the field of medicine,” Rock said.  “So I graduated with my undergrad with biology and I didn’t have any education classes, so I was really looking for ‘How can I get my certificate and how can I get my masters at the same time?’”

Julia Britt teaches human anatomy and chemistry. Britt has been part of the Panther family for three years. Britt’s hope is that her students use their knowledge and be well-versed to make good decisions for their own lives. (Katie Johnson)

What was the moment you knew you wanted to be a teacher?

“I was a little bit late to the teaching field,” science teacher Julia Britt said. “But the moment I knew was the first day I stepped in a live classroom and had students, the smiles at their excitement for the topic at hand.”

Why did you choose this subject? 

“I love science cause it’s creative and inventive,” Britt said. “It answers the ‘Why?’ question. ‘Why do things happen the way they happened?’ or ‘Why is it that we get sick?’”

What do you enjoy about teaching high school students?

“I like high school students because they pretty much already know how to be a student,” Britt said. “It’s just an opportunity to watch people grab ahold of what they really think about what they want to do for the rest of their lives.” 

Tell me about your favorite day of teaching.

“Any day where I see my students bring together their knowledge and application and creativity and the light bulb goes off,” Britt said.

Why not a different career?  

“I like working with young people,” Britt said. “I like having the opportunity to watch them grow and learn.”