From trekking across the football field in a marching band uniform to participating in human rights protests, Jackson-Reed teachers stayed busy in their high school years.
Attending Justice High School in Falls Church VA, science teacher Daniela Munoz started her school’s chapter of Amnesty International, an organization dedicated to human rights. Munoz’s passion for this topic stemmed from her childhood in Chile, during which the country was under the control of a military dictatorship. After years of organizing letter writing campaigns, participating in protests, and fundraising within her community, Munoz was faced with an identity crisis in college. “I have always had the duality of really caring about human rights because you should, and because of the history of my country and family, but science is kind of the framework in which I operate,” Munoz said. Although Munoz ultimately settled on majoring in Biology, (which Jackson-Reed’s AP Biology students are surely grateful for), she continued to be involved in human rights in college, remaining a part of Amnesty International and exploring classes on dictatorships in Latin America.
Biomedical sciences teacher Danielle Krafft was a member of her school’s soccer, basketball, and even football team, where she was both a kicker and a tailback. Despite making the national team for soccer while still in high school, what Krafft most fondly remembers of the sport was the team pasta dinners that would take place before every home game. Krafft loved getting to know upperclassmen and their families through these team dinners. “You’re kind of geeking out because you were the youngest one in the group,” Krafft reminisced. Many pasta dinners later, Krafft would then go on to play Division 1 soccer at Florida State University!
Science teacher Amanda Dezenzo could also be found on a sports pitch as a member of the marching band. Although Dezenzo never fully warmed up to wearing the marching band uniform in front of the football players and cheerleaders, she eventually developed an appreciation for it. Dezenzo described how playing an instrument is an “ageless activity,” and something that you can do your entire life. Give her 10 minutes, and Dezenzo can whip out any piece on the clarinet for you.
English teacher Charles Preacher has been an avid runner ever since high school. Before that, Preacher’s athletic career had a rocky start. While on the tennis team during his first two years of high school, Preacher accidentally served the ball into the back of his doubles partner’s head. Related or not, his doubles partner promptly quit the next day. Although he can confidently say that this was an isolated incident, he has since been “scared to play doubles for that reason.”
Whether it’s a trying a new sport or starting a club, don’t be afraid to try something new, like these teachers did; you never know what it might lead to!
