Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Jennifer Allen Continues to Guide Students In and Out of the Classroom

Mrs. Jennifer Allen, one of Central’s Spanish I teachers, is not your average teacher. After teaching for nine years, Allen continues to guide and influence students both in and out of the classroom.

There is always a reason that a teacher wants to be a teacher. Allen explains what she decided to teach and why.

“I wanted to share my love of languages with young people and help them enjoy having to learn a foreign language,” shared Allen. “The teachers I had were tireless in their efforts to teach me. Their involvement in my life had a huge impact on what I valued in myself. Now, over 20 years later, I have students in the same classrooms that I came through.”

Allen believes all students should have access to an exceptional education.

“My students need a teacher to reach out to them and tirelessly guide them towards a future that cannot always imagine for themselves. It is my mission everyday to give to each of my students what was given to me by my teachers at Central,” explained Allen. “A teacher doesn’t just teach. We help our students see their own value and their own abilities within our own classrooms and beyond our doors.”

As a Central High School graduate, Allen believes that there have been changes to the school since she first attended in 1990.

“The number of students participating in the arts have decreased,” commented Allen. “The facility has aged and it is starting to effect the school’s climate, but the students and teachers still remind me of what I experienced when I was here. I would like to see our school reflect the assets we have in our school.”

Some teacher do not always get to teach the subject of their choice, Allen explains what she would teach if she did not teach Spanish.

“If I wasn’t teaching Spanish, I would be teaching French because I love the language equally,” elaborated Allen.

Over their years of teaching, teachers always grow and expand their horizons on what they would like to do for future classes. Allen explains that she would like to incorporate more technology into her classroom and reach out to students outside of the classroom.

“I would like to grow into a teacher that utilizes more technology,” explained Allen. “I would also like to reach out to students in other ways than teaching Spanish. I want to start a group for young ladies at Central to provide a safe place for them to talk and learn from community leaders and set goals for themselves. As they begin to stand on their own, I want to provide a place for them where they can discover their values and their voice and use it to become successful in their endeavors beyond Central,” concluded Allen.

Many of Allen’s students believe that she is a really good teacher because Allen makes her class fun and enjoyable.

“I like the way she teaches,” states Caitlin Wilson, a sophomore student of Allen’s. “She makes it a lot more fun and easy.”

Students agree that Mrs. Allen is, with no doubt, a spectacular teacher. Mrs. Allen’s hope is to continue to teach Spanish I for years to come.