Mrs. Jennifer Mechling taught for eight years before staying at home with her kids for a few years. She returned to the classroom in 2014, but when she was considering teaching as a career she wasn’t 100% sure history would be her subject.

“English and Social Studies were always my favorite subjects, so I debated between teaching either of those subjects when I was in college, but one semester I had a history class and an anthropology class that were both AMAZING! So I decided to teach social studies and I’ve never regretted it- even though I miss editing papers,” said Mechling.

Mechling teaches AP Government & Politics as well as World History II. She is a co-sponsor with Mr. Paul Xenakis of Rho Kappa, the social studies honor society. 

She is constantly engaged with students throughout the building. 

“I find myself laughing every dang day,” said Mechling. “Seriously, making learning fun is the highlight of every day and I love seeing students that haven’t enjoyed history before find joy in learning it.”

Students are constantly engaged in class. Most days are more of a forum than a traditional classroom.

“She is very energetic during class, which really helps engage me,” said senior Elizabeth Sweeny. “Seeing her so enthusiastic about the subject makes it feel more interesting than any other history class where a teacher is just reading from a board.”

Teaching is not always a piece of cake though. There are drawbacks to creating lessons, waking up early, and spending most of the day in a classroom.

“The biggest challenge for me has been creating balance in my own life,” said Mechling. “When I throw myself into my school commitments, my home life suffers, the laundry doesn’t get folded and dinner doesn’t get made. It’s hard to strike a balance between school and home when both are so important.”

Although there are challenges, Mechling has worked to find a balance and is confident that the work she puts into her career is worth it.

“One thing that I will always remember and treasure is that one of my former students from the beginning of my teaching career flew from Arizona to Virginia for my wedding in 2001,” said Mechling. “To me, that illustrates the value and importance of building relationships in the classroom.  Those will last far longer than knowledge of the French Revolution or of how a bill becomes a law.” 

Mechling’s teaching style has been very well received by both former and current students.

“I enjoy her style of teaching. She always keeps an interactive and focused environment all while keeping government fun and engaging,” said senior Tristan Blanco. “Mrs. Mechling truly wants the best for all of her students and leads others to the path to success. Mrs. Mechling is a teacher every student wishes they had: patient, enthusiastic, and inspiring.”

Mechling encourages all students who want a challenge senior year to take AP Government.

“It’s an incredibly relevant subject, especially for seniors that are on the cusp of adulthood.  Since it’s such an important topic, many seniors are choosing to take AP Government because we extensively analyze and debate issues with more honesty,” said Mechling. “Second, I hope that my enthusiasm and energy inspires more students to tackle an AP class, even if they never have before.”