Everyone must be wondering who the new teacher is here at Granite Falls High School. Mrs. Kemp teaches Marine Biology and has recently joined the GFHS staff. One thing that people might find interesting is that she lived in France for 3 years (when she was a toddler), and she has visited over 15 countries since. Mrs. Kemp knew she wanted to be in the Marine Biology field early on, and she pursued this field; however, in high school, her teachers and counselors urged her towards other careers. Despite the lack of support from teachers, Mrs. Kemp persevered and succeeded in Marine Biology.
Over the course of her 4 years at the University of Washington, she went on various trips to study marine biology. One notable trip of hers was a trip to South Caicos, where she spent 3 months studying environmental policy, resource management, and marine ecology. More information on her time at the Caicos islands can be found here.
Mrs. Kemp switched careers from Marine Biology to teaching; she originally taught at Granite Falls Middle School, but she recently switched to the high school. At first, she was intimidated by teaching older students, but as the youngest staff member, she quickly realized she was able to relate to her older students. Despite being the youngest, she still thinks that she has been able to find her place and become friends with a lot of the teachers. Initially, she was set to teach biology, but was able to bring her passion into the school and create a curriculum that her students enjoy. She hopes to host a visiting college that offers a program in Marine Biology. This would give the students insight into what it would be like to learn about the subject in college and possibly follow the career path, as well as potentially offering a chance to earn college credits.
In her free time, Mrs. Kemp enjoys spending time with her husband and her dog, Mozzarella, often going outside and connecting with nature. Since starting to play the violin at 5 years old, she has continued to practice regularly. Her favorite music to play is the Vivaldi Four Seasons, and a big part of her enjoyment for playing is that everyone knows and loves that music. She also enjoys cooking more challenging foods like lasagna and soups as they are more rewarding.
On a final note, she would like to give these words of advice. “I spent a lot of time dedicated to becoming a researcher for marine biology, and when I realized that I actually wanted to teach, I had to completely change the idea that I had for my future. So it ended up working out in, like, the most beautiful way that I couldn’t have predicted.” So to everyone out there who might be scared to change what you’re doing, just do it.
