Alumni Teachers

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DESK

Trinity alumni return to teach

Article by Siena Shenbaga Photos courtesy of Chi Rho

When English teacher Hannah Parker was in ninth grade at Trinity, her advisory held a sleepover on campus. Parker recalls playing in the quad late at night and sleeping in her mother’s, Georgia Parker’s, classroom.

“I think it is just something I will never forget because it was so much fun and is something that a lot of people didn’t experience,” said Parker.

Beth Wehr, Brandon Burmeister, Eric Schneider and Hannah Parker are four alumni who have returned to campus as teachers.

Mathematics teacher Beth Wehr attended Trinity Prep from ninth grade to twelfth grade and graduated in 1982. Wehr said that, since she was a student, the school has gotten much larger and more diverse.

When Wehr was a student, she worked in the library after school as financial aid was not automatically guaranteed. Instead of being paid, the money would immediately go towards her tuition.

Wehr said that although the other students

Seventh grade English teacher Hannah Parker poses for her senior yearbook photo for the Class of 2013.

weren’t rude, they knew her for having financial aid as they saw her working in the library. “Now, we have such a more economically diverse student body as well as diverse in other areas,” Wehr said.

Mathematics teacher Eric Schneider attended Trinity from seventh grade through twelfth grade and graduated in 2005. He said that the main difference is the size of the physical campus, which has gotten bigger since he graduated.

Schneider also said that while he was a student, he was not aware of the size of the student body and faculty.

“When you’re in middle school and upper school you’re separate Trinity Prep Class of 1982 and current math teacher, from each other. But now, as a Beth Wehr poses with a classmate while reading books teacher, you see the entire spec- on campus. trum,” Schneider said.

Schneider also recalls when his basketball to call them by their first names. team won the district championship during “It’s fun to hang out with them now as an his junior year. He said that his coach had al- adult, but it’s also super weird,” said Parker. “I ready printed championship shirts before they cannot call Mr. Krueger by his first name, it won the game. just won’t happen.”

“I guess she was pretty confident that we Social science teacher Brandon Burmeiswould win,” Schneider said. It was a great ter attended Trinity for his junior and senior group, and I’ve kept in touch with the majori- years, graduating in 2000. ty of them over the years.” Burmeister said that on his first day of

English teacher Hannah Parker was a Trinity school, students immediately opened up and student for seven years and graduated in 2013. talked to him. He thinks that although there Like Schneider, Parker also believes that the are various groups at Trinity, each one is open Trinity Prep campus has expanded, specifically to new people and inclusive in their own way. the Grille. “There are many things about Trinity that

Parker said that the old Grille was very small are different, and there are many things that and shed-like and only contained room for hot are very much the same,” Burmeister said. “I lunch on one side and snacks on the other. think the general kind of culture of the kids

Additionally, many of Parker’s old teachers is unique to Trinity, and I don’t think it has are still teaching at Trinity including Andrea changed that much.” Sockwell, Kimberly Moreland-Garnett, Lynn Wilbur, Jason Dowdy, Robert Boerth, Susan Lilley, Carrie Lopez, Steven Krueger, and fellow alum Brandon Burmeister.

Although Parker enjoys interacting with her former teachers, she said it is a bit challenging