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| Jonathan Jacobson |
I have lived in Southbridge since 2000 and helped raise three wonderful boys from diapers to high school. In December 2005, I read a Reader's Digest article titled, “The Brain Drain”. The article spoke about how the United States was not preparing its children for a future in a global economy, how the educational system was not creating enough scientists and engineers, and the solution was to find highly qualified teachers in math and science. I worried about my own children's future and what I could do to help make a difference. Shortly after reading the article, the President of the United States, during his State of the Union address, asked for highly qualified people in math and science to step forward and become teachers to help pave the way for a brighter future for our children. It was as if the President was speaking directly to me and I answered the call. At first, I offered to substitute teach, but when I found that without a license I could not actually teach, I immediately registered to take the teacher test. My license to teach high school mathematics arrived in August 2006 and several teacher friends recommended I apply to the Worcester Public Schools District because it was large and would more readily accept a first year teacher. They were right. No sooner had I dropped off my resume, than I received a call on the way home to come in for an interview and I was hired. On the first day, I was given a classroom list, attendance sheets and the teacher text book and told to go and teach the kids.
