Many staff members at Judson High School are alumni. Three such teachers gave input about their experiences as an alum teacher and what led them to return to their roots.
Choir director Elizabeth James had always aspired to work at her alma mater so that she could continue the Rocket pride that she’d grown up with. After a decade of teaching elsewhere, she began teaching at Judson High School. While she feels the world has changed a lot since she’s graduated, she believes that both the core elements of being a kid, as well as Rocket pride, has persisted.
How does it feel working at the same high school you went to?
“This has always been a goal of mine—working at Judson and giving back to the community that raised me. I am proud to contribute to the legacy of the Rocket Choir program and honor the amazing directors who’ve come before me and will take over after me.”
What has stayed the same, and what’s different?
“The world has changed so much in the almost 20 years since I graduated, and that is mirrored in these halls. From the way students dress to the emphasis on branding and social media, this would shock younger me. However, much has stayed the same. The commitment to excellence, community, and Rocket Pride is still very strong!”
Do you feel like the students who go to Judson High School have changed much? Why or why not?
“In 14 years of teaching, I have had the opportunity to work in four districts in four different cities. Kids are kids. They all want the same things—to be successful, to belong, and to have a better life. It makes me smile when I’m running an All-State sectional or singing at the football games to see students who remind me of me and my friends from choir, ROTC and AP classes. At the core, Judson students are the same as always.”
When did you decide you wanted to work at Judson High School, and why?
“I have always had a goal to return home and teach here. I just had to wait for the right time and opportunity. When Mr. Lyons called and asked me to be his assistant four years ago, it was the right time. Though I hated leaving Pieper Ranch Middle School, where I was teaching at the time, I knew that I had to say yes to Judson High School and my Rocket roots.”
AP world history teacher Emily Peery also long desired to come back to teach at Judson High School so she could help raise newer generations of Rocket students. She pointed out how both the building, demographics and extracurriculars offered had changed after she graduated. Peery enjoys working at Judson, and doesn’t intend on leaving anytime soon.
How does it feel working at the same high school you went to?
“I feel very lucky to work where I went to school. I’m following in the footsteps of my teachers and trying to continue their legacy, creating successful people in the Judson community.”
How much has Judson High School changed since you graduated? What has stayed the same, and what’s different?
“It’s definitely changed. Physically, the building is brand new to me. I went to school with the Gray and Red campuses with the PAC in the middle. Where the current building connects to the PAC is where I would get dropped off every morning my freshman year, so it is always a little weird to see it attached to another building. The band is a whole lot smaller. It makes me sad to see how small it is. We had three varsity bands and one JV band when I was here. We probably marched 150-200 spots in the marching show. My teachers allowed absolutely no late work, so that is definitely different too.
I think the eclectic-ness [makeup] of the student body is similar, but we have so many clubs and programs that people can find a spot where they can fit in. We also have teachers that are working really hard to help students succeed.
Of course, we have some teachers that were here when I was [attending school] here. I had Mr. Asher… and Mr. Matthews… for two different courses throughout high school.
A lot of cadences in the band are the same, but the band doesn’t do the same visuals. It looks like we had a little more fun up in the stands and marching (especially the tubas).”
Do you feel like the demographic/personalities of students who go to Judson High School has changed much? Why or why not?
“The demographics are different. I was here before the split with Veterans, but after the split with Wagner. I was always told when I went here, our demographics were about 1/3 white, 1/3 Hispanic, and 1/3 black. Now the ratio to white to non-white is significantly higher.”
When did you decide you wanted to work at Judson High School, and why?
“When I completed my teaching program, I applied to a lot of districts. My mom was at a principals conference and ran into Mr. Hernandez (the principal of Judson [High School] at the time) and said I was looking for a job. They called me to interview for a softball assistant coach/social studies teacher [position]. I was not at all qualified to coach, but my mom told me that I had to take the interview. I lucked out that there was a social studies position open that didn’t require coaching, and I got the job. They were the only district to reach out to me that whole summer, so here I am. However, I think I always thought I was going to come back here and teach. When I was doing my observation hours with one of my old teachers, she had just left Judson and told me I shouldn’t come work here, but I told her I think I was bound to work there.
I feel like I never want to leave here. I love supporting the community that gave so much to me. If I were to leave, I can’t imagine it feels the same [not] to teach at your alma mater. [When teaching at the same school you went to], you automatically have something to relate to the students.”
Journalism teacher Jillian Romero also relishes teaching at her alma mater, as her teachers inspired and shaped her teaching style. She also commented on how the building changed since she graduated, as has the world since social media has become more widespread. She believes that the core aspects of being a teenager hasn’t changed since she was a teen herself, but that Rocket pride has decreased since she attended Judson.
How does it feel working at the same high school you went to?
“I feel immensely proud to be back at Judson High School and teach at the school that played a part in shaping who I am today. The impact my teachers had on me and my drive for success, along with the community I built through involvement in extracurriculars has fueled my vision for the teacher that I want to be for my students.”
How much has Judson High School changed since you graduated? What has stayed the same and what’s different?
“Judson has changed drastically since I was a student. As a 2007 graduate, the current campus is totally new to me. My high school years were spent between the red and gray campus (the gray campus being what is now Judson Middle School), crossing the treacherous creek after a downpour in hopes of not falling in and arriving to class drenched. School of choice wasn’t a thing and even when Wagner opened my junior year, we didn’t quite feel the impact that I think you can feel now with three different high schools, each with their own dedicated pathways and programs. Now, students have to make a choice early on that impacts where they go and what they are able to study.
What hasn’t changed are the everyday struggles and challenges of being a teenager—figuring out who you are, where you fit in, and what you are going to do with your life after graduation. But with that comes supportive teachers who help students grow not just in their specific subjects, but as productive members of our society. This is something that I believe has always been a part of Judson.”
Do you feel like the students who go to Judson High School have changed much? Why or why not?
“I feel that students have changed a lot but so has our world. Our easy access to information, the social pressures of keeping up with our peers based on their Instagram posts and TikTok videos and the amount of choice our students are given all weigh heavily, adding way more stress than I ever felt as a high school student.
I also believe Rocket pride isn’t as strong as it used to be. This makes me sad because I’ve always been proud to be a graduate of Judson. I don’t think students feel that same sense of pride of being a Judson Rocket that used to exist in our community.”
When did you decide you wanted to work at Judson High School, and why?
“When I originally graduated from Judson, I had goals of becoming a high school math teacher. I had imagined coming back to Judson and making a similar impact on students to what my teachers had made on me. Although my passions changed during college and I ended up in a different career for 10 years, once I became a teacher in 2020, I knew my ultimate goal would be to eventually teach at the high school level. Why not go back to the high school that played an important role in who I am today? And as a bonus, moving from Judson Middle School to the high school enabled me to continue to see the students that I taught in my first four years of my teaching career. These are the students who helped shape me into the teacher I am today. They taught me the importance of holding students to high expectations while also being compassionate and understanding. I’m really looking forward to seeing my first class of students graduate this upcoming spring.”
Overall, these three alumni staff at Judson all have deep ties to Judson High School and wanted to give back to the community that they grew up in. They knew from the beginning that they would eventually return to Judson, and help shape students whose places they were once in.