Just getting started: Westerfield reflects on first 25 years as an educator

Sep. 13—Owensboro Catholic High School math teacher Jennifer Westerfield completed her 25th year as an educator last year, but says she's just getting started in her career.

"When I was in elementary school, I loved my fifth grade teacher, and she loved math," Westerfield said. "She gave me that spark of wanting to learn math and liking it."

When she was a child, Westerfield said she loved pretending to be a teacher.

"I had a chalkboard and an old desk in my playroom and I would play school all the time," she said. "I would make up people's names and give them grades."

Westerfield has been with OCHS since she began teaching.

"It was kind of by accident because my former principal told me that they were looking for a math teacher in January," she said. "I was looking for a job so I applied and I wasn't supposed to start until after Christmas break, but I got a call two days after the interview asking if I could come in."

The students and staff at the high school are like a family to Westerfield.

"Family means a lot to me, I grew up with my grandparents nearby and family get-togethers," she said. "You can feel that here. It's a good community."

Giving back to the community is one of the reasons Westerfield thinks teaching is important.

"They might not always learn the math, but I hope they can realize that there's more to it than the math class," she said. "Your life isn't dependent on the grades you make."

The journey from the first day of class to the last day is something Westerfield cherishes about her position.

"I like seeing the lightbulb come on when they finally understand a problem," she said. "At the beginning of the year they might not know how to solve an equation, but at the end of the year, they're doing all these big, long equations."

Westerfield's work in her classroom expands past the math lessons she teaches everyday.

"When a student gets down on themselves or they don't have confidence in themselves then they don't have confidence in their abilities," she said. "That's with everything, and I feel like if they have someone encouraging them besides their family, it means a lot to them."

Outside of the classroom, Westerfield is acting as the freshman class sponsor this year.

"I'll stay with this class throughout their four years," she said. "Freshman year they don't do a lot, maybe a class trip, but I'll be over the prom and the Snowball and events like that."

Prior to this year, Westerfield was the graduation project sponsor since 2005.

"I think when students see teachers outside of the classroom, they're appreciative," she said. "I feel like they know you care about them."