profile: LINDA WYATT Ms. Wyatt moved to Los Angeles after high school to attend UCLA from 1968-1972. She completed an additional year in order to gain a California teaching credential. In 1974, she found her second “family” at Providence High School, which became a co-educational school in the same year. When she came to the Providence community, she had a sense of being at home in the Catholic Church and in 1978 she became a Catholic. The Sisters of Providence have had a great influence on her personal and professional growth during her more than four decades at Providence and she became a Sisters of Providence Associate in 2012. Ms. Wyatt is committed to the school’s mission and values, and her years of teaching have been richly rewarding. In 1994, Ms. Wyatt received the Los Angeles Times Teacher of the Year Award, and in 1999 she was honored for 25 years of teaching at a special celebration. Current and former students attended this mass and reception which are among her treasured memories of Providence. In addition to teaching French, she served as the World Languages Department Chair, the ASB Advisor, and a Kairos Adult Team Member. Ms. Wyatt has held many positions during her tenure at Providence including Sophomore Class Moderator, Senior Class Moderator, CSF Advisor, Spanish teacher, and English teacher. Ms. Wyatt's interests include travel, movies, classical concerts, reading and her two cats. A highlight of her career at Providence has been the summer Europe trips where she has led PHS students on tours throughout the Western European countries for more than 20 years.
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fter 44 years, Ms. Linda Wyatt is retiring from Providence. Known for her cheerful disposition, Ms. Wyatt always greeted her students and colleagues with a smile and a friendly “hello.” She was honored during this year’s Baccalaureate Mass and a special luncheon is being held in her honor this August (see page 39 for more information).
You received your BA in French and minored in Spanish. What inspired you to study different languages, and ultimately, teach them?
Born and raised in Albany, New York, Wyatt is the oldest of four children. During her childhood, reading and education were a priority in her home. She was introduced at an early age to the arts by her mother who was a freelance art critic for the local newspaper. Consequently, she discovered her vocation of teaching as a little girl and created her own “school” with her friends on the block as her students.
Pioneer Connections
I knew teaching was my vocation from the time I was a little girl. I set up a play school with the kids from my block and enjoyed teaching them. In high school I was inspired by my high school French teacher and went on to major in French and minor in Spanish at UCLA. I love languages and learning about other cultures.
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