The English department welcomed Jennifer Ward in August 2024, bringing her on board to inspire and engage students with fresh lens on literature.
Ward grew up in the Wheaton area and found her passion for literature during her high school years. She attended both St. Francis University and the University of Pittsburgh, where she also went to play volleyball.
Originally studying to go into journalism, she soon found that reporting was not her calling. She found her true nature after voluntarily helping coach volleyball, where a colleague asked why she has not been teaching this entire time. So, Ward went back to school to get her teaching degree and soon after began her career in education.
Although Ward first started teaching at Glendale East, more recently, she worked in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, for 11 years. Ward recently moved back to the area and is currently in her first year at WEGO.
She is excited to soon coach girls’ basketball and volleyball in the upcoming sports seasons.
For Ward, one of the greatest experiences at WCCHS is how welcoming not just the teachers, but also the students, have been. Having people being so kind and supportive in a new school was very surprising at first. But Ward soon warmed up to the enormous amount of support WEGO showed her.
“The English department teachers are amazing, and they’re gracious, and they’re generous, and they’re kind, and it’s really a family environment, which is something that is such just such an amazing component to have. Plus, I have awesome kids. So I really am happy,” Ward said.
Ward’s biggest reason for teaching has always been kids. She explains how the determination teachers have for teaching and the community building at WEGO has been very different compared to other schools she taught at. The genuine interactions she has had, and the numerous supports the school has given her, is making her time at WEGO very memorable.
“You know, normally there’s like, a little bit of that ‘take care of the new person,’ but this is real. This is definitely, like, people are looking out to make sure that I never have an opportunity – I never sit there unhelped,” Ward said.
She also commented on how a lot of the students at West Chicago Community High School are eager and have a passion to learn. Making sure her students are in a positive and safe environment is important, and Ward believes in helping them grow, not just readers, but as people, too.
But Ward’s life outside of school is just as intriguing.
Outside of school, Ward is working on her master’s. In her thesis, “The Colonization in Literature, and How Are We Writing it Out?” Ward discusses the impact stereotypes and discriminatory behavior have had on media, including TV shows, movies and books, and how they are shaping societal views. Being mindful of the media people consume is the first step in understanding how literature and the media has been wrapped in bigotry and racism.
But besides her master’s, Ward does her best to help the community. She has fostered international students who are attending college in the country or state. Besides humans, Ward fosters dogs: seven to be exact. The task is fun, yet challenging at times, especially for her furniture.
Her motto?
“If you can help, you should help.”
As an English teacher, of course, Ward has a few book recommendations: “Where the Crawdads Sing,” “Station Eleven,” “The Swan Thieves,” “Frankenstein,” and “Razor Blade Tears”.
Ward is looking forward to the coming year, and has already made an impact on her students.
“Mrs. Ward is really understanding and caring when it comes to her students. It’s clear that she makes an effort to make learning fun. If you’re stuck on something, she helps lead you to a better understanding on your own; you can just tell she understands her students and wants them to be the best they can be,” junior Rama Alwan said.
