From failure can come success!

After I graduated from college in 2002, I could not find a chemistry teaching job.  I applied to tons and tons of jobs all over the Madison and Milwaukee areas, but I heard back from no one.  I finally applied for a job as a chemist at a Biotechnology company called Genencor.  I worked here for two years.  It was a very good job and I learned a lot, but I really missed teaching.  How could I not, when I knew that if I blew something up at Genencor, I would most likely get fired; however, if you blow something up as a teacher you usually get cheers!  J  I liked my chemist job, but I knew that it was not the place for me.

So, I again started my job hunt.  I applied for a number of chemistry teaching positions, but I only heard back from one school and it was only for a part time position.  I figured I would try for it anyways, and felt the interview went well, but in the end I did not get the job.  I felt pretty deflated after that.  This was in August and I was pretty bummed.  I found a listing on WECAN for a physical science teacher at South Milwaukee High School.  I was really not familiar with the Milwaukee area and thought that it was a Milwaukee Public School, until I did a little research and found out that it was in a suburb called South Milwaukee.  I really did not want to teach physical science, but figured I would go in for the interview, but if I didn’t get the job I was going to look for a graduate school in England (I studied abroad here during my undergrad and feel in love with the country).  I had already started looking at schools when I received a call for an interview.

I ended up getting a call offering me the job that same day.  I was very excited, even though school started in only a few weeks.   I would be teaching all freshmen physical science classes, but I thought what the heck, maybe I’ll be able to work my way up to chemistry.  Because that call, I have met and worked with the most amazing colleagues, one could ever ask for.  Especially, my friend and mentor David Nelson, who passed away suddenly this January.  If it wasn’t for this great job and people at SMHS, I would not have been able to develop my own Forensic Science course from the ground up and also get to teach chemistry.  For the past four years, I have taught 3 sections of chemistry and 3 sections of forensic science each year and I absolutely LOVE it!!  Even though it was a struggle to get here, I know that I am where I’m supposed to be and doing what I love best, teaching science!