High school social studies teacher Jennifer Wahl teaches a love for travel. The talented educator earned recognition as the 2018 Pennsylvania State Teacher of the Year.
I love to write about talented educators who share their passions with their students. One of these is Jennifer Wahl, a high school history teacher from Pennsylvania. In her classroom in a small-town school, she shares her monumental love for international travel.
Jennifer has been teaching at Loyalsock Township High School in Lycoming County since 2006. There she teaches courses in history, psychology, and sociology. She also teaches courses at the Pennsylvania State College. Her career as an educator has spanned the last 13 years.
Jennifer is originally from New York City, but she spent much of her childhood overseas with her mother, who is from the Middle East. The young teacher’s love of travel has only expanded since she has become an educator. Jennifer has been involved in numerous professional development opportunities that have taken her to some pretty amazing places. She was chosen by the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia to travel to China for a two-week study tour In 2011. The following year, the Japan Society chose her to travel to Japan to attend a three-week study tour. In 2013, she studied restorative justice and teaching for Peace in Delhi, India, at the International School for Jain Studies.
Jennifer is eager to share her love of travel with her students. She uses pictures, artifacts, and food to bring history alive for her students, some of whom have grown up to share her love of world travel. “I’m happy for those students that they got out of a small-town environment to see the world and then brought it back here,” Jennifer declares. “I love that they broadened their horizons.”
In addition to her work in the classroom, Jennifer belongs to a number of professional organizations. She is a member of The Japan Society, the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia, the International School for Jain Studies, the College Board, the National and State Teacher of the Year Pennsylvania Chapter, and the Pennsylvania State Education Association. She is also an active member of her union and served as the vice president and member of the negotiations committee of her local chapter.
Jennifer earned her Bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education from Cabrini University located in Radnor, Pennsylvania. She earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Pennsylvania State University. For her work in the classroom, Jennifer was named the 2018 Pennsylvania State Teacher of the Year.
To learn more about this accomplished chalkboard champion, visit this link: CCSSO.