McClain High School has welcomed six new teachers for the 2016-17 school year: Jessica Williams, science; Travis Snyder, social studies; Brady Streitenberger, language arts; Jake Orr-Zody, health and gym; Lori Brisker, math; and Rachel Soards, art.
Following is a short bio on each of the new students written by McClain High School journalism students:
WILLIAMS – Jessica Williams is the new science teacher. Her husband is Justin, who is also a science teacher. They have a daughter named Fern. Williams graduated college in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and environmental education from Northland College in Ashland, Wis. In 2008, Jessica earned her master’s degree in ecological teaching and learning at Lesley University, in Cambridge, Mass. Williams picked science to teach because of her love of nature and enjoyment in sharing her knowledge. Williams says that if she wasn’t a teacher, she would want to be a park ranger.
SNYDER – Travis Snyder is the new social studies teacher. Snyder is not married and doesn’t have any children. He went to college at Bowling Green State University where he erned degrees in education and history. He is currently working on a master’s degree in history. Snyder became a teacher in order to share his love of history. This is his first year of teaching at the high school level. Snyder says he would want to work at a museum or focus on his studies of American military history if he wasn’t a teacher.
STREITENBERGER – Brady Streitenberger is the new language arts teacher. He is married to his wife, Meghan, and they just welcomed a baby girl named Lily on Sept. 19. He graduated college from Ohio University in 2011. Streitenberger has been teaching for six years, most recently at the Greenfield Middle School. If he wasn’t teaching, he says he would want to be a lawyer or involved in criminal justice.
ORR-ZODY – Jake Orr-Zody is the new health and gym teacher. He is not married and doesn’t have children. Orr-Zody graduated from college in 2013 from The Ohio State University. He decided to become a teacher because he has been around it his whole life. Orr-Zody said he would most likely be a graduate assistant for a college football and track program or pursuing further education in physical anthropology if he was not a teacher.
BRISKER – Lori Brisker is the new algebra teacher. She is married and has two children, a girl and a boy. She graduated with an undergraduate degree in agricultural business with a minor in communication from The Ohio State University in 2007. Brisker also graduated from Mount Vernon Nazarene University two years later in 2009 with a master’s degree in education, focusing on middle childhood math and science. If she wasn’t a teacher, she says she would want to be a sales representative for a seed company.
SOARDS – Rachel Soards is the new art teacher. She is married and has six children. Soards graduated from Ohio University in 2010. She decided to teach art because she has always had a deep appreciation for art, and teaching is a way for her to use the skills and education she has gained over the years. If Soards wasn’t a teacher, she says she would want to be a scientist or a lawyer.
