The Oak Park and River Forest High School history division took on the biggest group of hires in 20 years this fall, according to Amy Hill, history division head.
“They all bring experiences and skills that are going to help the division get better,” Hill said. Joining the department are Kenneta Cyracus, Andrew Kuech, Noah Scibbe, Samantha Stearns and Jesus Vallejo-Godinez.
In addition to the paper qualifications that made them stand out, a crucial factor in the hiring process for Hill was seeing the compassion the candidates have for students, and how they responded to questions like, “How do the students know you care about them?”
Vallejo-Godinez was inspired to be a teacher by his own high school history teacher. “I realized that there are adults out there who do believe in my potential, that I didn’t see in myself, and that’s what I want to replicate here at OPRF, ” he said.
Prior to OPRF, Vallejo-Godinez began his teaching career at Palatine High School. His love for history goes back to his childhood, when he came to America as an immigrant. At the age of 3, the question burning in his head was, “Why is this country so special?” Vallejo-Godinez would soon begin to answer his own question through independent exploration of classic American figures like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. “Here, learning about other cultures, languages, customs and traditions, is what made me gravitate towards history,” he said.
OPRF’s history division has received numerous accolades including teacher Tyrone Williams winning the 2023 Illinois History Teacher of the Year award. Vallejo-Godinez explained that the opportunity to learn from an accomplished department was one of his motivations for applying.
Stearns had a similar rationale when considering OPRF. “Not every history department can boast such great expertise and great educators,” Stearns said.
Prior to OPRF, Stearns worked as a social studies teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. Stearns was motivated to make the move to OPRF because she felt she had fulfilled all the opportunities available to her in her former position, she said. Stearns was the 2023 Cook County Co-Regional Teacher of the Year and one of the 13 finalists for 2023 Illinois Teacher of the Year.
Last year, OPRF history teacher Michael Soffer resigned, leaving behind the course that he had created, Holocaust Studies. Stearns has adopted the course. “A class like Holocaust Studies needs an experienced teacher,” Hill said.
Stearns is eager to teach the course, despite the weight that it entails, because social justice is something that she has always cared about. Growing up, she enjoyed being a student of history, constantly absorbing the information around her. What truly captivated Stearns about history was its storytelling aspect, which she implements in her classes, she said.
As the new teachers have been acclimating to the school environment, a number of people inside and outside of the department have come up to Hill to acknowledge how pleasant the new additions are, she noted.
“It’s a big deal and it’s exciting because they’re all great,” Hill said.
