Jason Hooper

Jason is a geometry and Algebra I teacher at South High School. He has been teaching for 28 years, all of them at South High. Jason was inspired to become a teacher by his father, who was an educator, as well as by other outstanding teachers he had throughout his life and his appreciation for mathematics. Teaching has allowed him to share his passion for math with the next generation while also serving as a mentor to others. His favorite part of teaching is building relationships with students, watching them grow throughout the school year and helping them develop into strong problem solvers. A fun fact about Jason is that his daughter is an adaptive golfer who plays with one hand. He developed a prosthetic device that connects her other arm to the golf club, and he now creates the same device for seven other individuals across North and South America. He is deeply passionate about using his skills to help others.

Kate Ozores

Kate is a Chemistry teacher at South High School. This is her sixth year in education and her first year at South. She was inspired to become a teacher after growing up in a family of educators and experiencing the positive influence of great teachers throughout her school years. Watching their hard work and seeing how rewarding the profession could be motivated her to create meaningful learning experiences for her own students.Her favorite part of teaching is designing lessons that make learning enjoyable and accessible and watching students gain confidence as they master challenging Chemistry concepts. A fun fact about Kate is that while she plans to teach for the foreseeable future, she hopes one day to become a college professor and help prepare future teachers.

Shana Pittenger

Shana is an English teacher at South High School. She is in her 32nd year of teaching, with 19 of those at South High. She has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember. Her great grandmother taught in a one-room schoolhouse. She chose to teach English because her best friend’s mother was an English teacher, and as a child it seemed like she had the best job in the world. Shana’s favorite part of teaching is seeing the pride in students when they notice their own improvement, especially in their writing. She also enjoys hearing from former students about their accomplishments. A fun fact about Shana is that she has visited the West African Savanna and stood side by side with a full grown male and female lion.

Terek Smith

Terek is a biology teacher at South High School. He has been teaching for three years all at South High. He has always wanted to have an impact on the community and his greatest inspiration has come from his Dad, who went back to school as a single father to become a teacher. Terek’s favorite part about teaching is building relationships with students, seeing them enjoy attending class and learning new things. A fun fact about Terek is that he is engaged to Ms. Kutz who teaches English at South High.

David Weir

David is a teen build teacher at South High School. He is currently in his fifth year of teaching and his second year at South High. He chose education as a career because of the many teachers who inspired him throughout his own educational journey. Their influence helped him realize, as he grew older, that he wanted to do the same and make a lasting impact on his students. David often says he wouldn’t be where he is today without the guidance and encouragement of his past teachers. What he enjoys most about teaching is building meaningful relationships with his students and celebrating the fact that each one is unique in their own way. A fun fact about him is that he runs his own lawn care business, The Lawn Wrangler.

Collin Carlson