A new teacher from the Philippines, Antonette Franke, has found a sense of belonging at West Chicago Community High School: after years of teaching in her home country, she made the leap to the United States and joined the Wildcat faculty as a physics teacher.

Franke’s journey to becoming a teacher began in a call center. Working late night shifts to accommodate the American time zone inspired her to find a different and less consuming career, Her wish to pursue education was mainly encouraged by her family, who mostly consists of teachers, and that was her turning point in her career.

“Don’t quit, champions keep going until they get it right,” Franke said. The same sentiment can be found in her classroom.

Franke is incredibly grateful for the support and guidance she has received from her mentor, Christina Sladek, and her department head, Scott Albright. Ever since starting at WEGO, Albright has ensured that Franke’s classroom is fully equipped with the necessary materials, while Sladek has provided the necessary mentorship in areas such as technology and curriculum management.

With all this help, Franke believes her students are more than prepared this year to do the best they can in order to find what career is best for them.

“If I was able to find my dream job, I believe my students can too,” Franke said.

Outside of the classroom, Franke enjoys watching sports such as football and exploring the trails around West Chicago. Having limited opportunities to hike in the Philippines, she finds peace in the natural beauty of her new surroundings.

“Just enjoying the nature, the fresh air from the trees and I like cooking along the river banks,” Franke said.