Lea Wagner poses next to an art piece. photo courtesy of Lea Wagner
The arrival of a new staff member has joined the TJ family.
With a brand new school year comes brand new teachers. TJ Spartans, please give a warm welcome to the new CCT photography teacher, Lea Wagner! She is one of the new teachers that TJ has recruited into the staff. Wagner was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before moving to Denver, she lived in Charleston, North Carolina. In her spare time, she likes to do multiple kinds of activities: hiking, gardening, snowboarding, riding her bike, and spending time with her friends and family. Wagner was born an artist, which is shown by her love of photography and acrylic painting. With its breathtaking landscapes and vibrant visual arts scene, Colorado has got to be the perfect place for Wagner.
The TJ community has done a great job of showing their hospitality to the newest addition to the family. The TJ staff was very eager to please their new recruit. Wagner gushed, “I’m proud to be on the CCT Magnet team.” Usually, being the new person in a different community can be difficult, but the Spartans try their best to make sure everyone feels accepted. It is not only the staff welcoming the new teacher with open arms, but it is the students as well. They are eager to get to know her, and many students have already taken a liking to her. Senior Ja’Nessa Robinson commented, “[She] is really nice and [she] also wants the students to give each other feedback.” It seems like the feelings are mutual, as Wagner mentioned, “The students are amazing! They are focused, smart, highly motivated to succeed, and creative.” TJ appears to be stupendous at showing hospitality towards new community members. “I love teaching photography at TJ so far! It’s been really fun getting to know students virtually and see all of their creative photography,” Wagner stated.
With the current global pandemic, people have been struggling a lot more than usual. Teachers are no exception. With COVID-19 having an influence on everyone’s lives, schools in the U.S. have been shutting down to keep the students and staff safe. This has not been a smooth transition for the majority of people all over the country. “Collaborations have been difficult, as well as interactions,” Wagner brought forward. “I miss interacting with students and staff in person.” Be that as it may, it seems like Wagner has been assisting her students so that this change is less difficult for them. Senior Ivonne Hernandez remarked, “[She] is a helpful teacher who has made transitioning from in-person school to online easier for the yearbook team.” Putting the hardships aside, being a teacher is one of Wagner’s passions. She has her heart set out to help students learn from others in addition to showing off their creative side. “I love building a community of artists where we can all work through the creative process and learn from each other. I’m a lifelong learner and it’s a great experience to be able to learn from my students!”
There are a number of life lessons that can be acquired throughout one’s time on Earth that can be useful for feeding a curious mind. Learning is a vitally important part of everyone’s lives; for that reason, one continuously learns as time passes. Every person gains a new understanding of the unknown day by day and for that reason, their growth never comes to an end. These may be the reasons that Wagner is passionate about teaching and advancing the pursuit of knowledge. “Teaching has taught me so much throughout the past ten years. Teaching has helped me live my life with a sense of curiosity, be in awe of the present moment, have a creative approach to solving problems, and it has empowered me to connect with other people.”
Wagner’s passion for learning and the art of photography reflects back on her students. The TJ community is glad she is part of the Spartan family.
