There’s a new face at Richwoods this year: Ms. Shannon Schmitt! This is Ms. Schmitt’s first year teaching as a full-fledged teacher, but she did a year of student-teaching in Arizona. The classes she teaches at Richwoods, and where most would know her from, include World Geography and Psychology. I recently got a chance to ask her some questions to get to know her better and found out she’s not only an amazing teacher but an awesome person too!
Ms. Schmitt went to the University of Arizona for both her B.A. and M.Ed. Her B.A. is in Psychology and Spanish with an emphasis on Hispanic Linguistics, and she has a minor in History. When I asked what her favorite thing about Richwoods was, she responded that she loves all the various opportunities that exist for students here. She thought it was great to see how students get involved, especially with basketball games. Outside of teaching, she enjoys coaching tennis. She told me, “I actually got into tennis during COVID when I met my fiancé. I have always loved sports though. I played hockey, volleyball, field hockey, lacrosse, and softball growing up.”
To get to know Ms. Schmitt even better, I had asked her if she were to only have three apps on her phone, what would they be? She responded with Messenger (for safety and communication), Yelp (she’s a big foodie), and Maps (so she could go on road trips and not get lost). I was also surprised to learn that she has been to many places outside of the United States. She’s been to Mexico, Canada, and the Bahamas. And lucky enough, she is going to both Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic for her honeymoon this summer.
Finally, I wanted to know if she had any tips for students that may be struggling to become their best academic self. I learned that she got a 34 on her ACT, and was even waitlisted at Harvard, but life took her in a different direction. This really intrigued me! She went on to tell me, “Nerdy psych teacher answer warning… As teenagers your prefrontal cortex (the decision-making area of your brain) is not fully developed. What that means is even though you think you know what you want to do in life right now, that might change drastically by the time you’re 25. At that point, going to college or continuing your education is a lot more difficult as you probably have a career and need to support yourself. It is always best to keep your options open as much as possible…your academic self does not just have to be in classes. Try to succeed and push yourself in other aspects of your life as well. It will make you a more well-rounded person.” Wow! This is great advice and really shows that Ms. Schmitt is not only a great teacher but an inspiration. Welcome to Richwoods, Ms. Schmitt!