With a smile on her face, Jennifer Richardson shares a message to teenagers who may be struggling. She uses her position as a teacher and a coach to help instill positivity into everyone she encounters. 

Richardson has been teaching for eighteen years, which is demonstrated through the different photos of classes and teams on her shelves. Five of her teaching years have been at Bishop Kenny, where she teaches the Applied Communications class. She beams as she recalls her absolute love for what she does.

“I’ve always planned on being a teacher ever since I was little…I absolutely love it,” Richardson says. 

During her own high school experience, Richardson balanced many clubs and activities while making sure to choose what made her happy. She applies her own knowledge to help send her students on the right path, offering different pieces of advice to them.

“You are only in high school once, so make the most of it,” Richardson says, “You have to do the things that make you happy.”

Not only does she share uplifting concepts with her students, but also with her two sons. Richardson uses her background in teaching to illustrate to her boys how to honor and admire the career.

“I think it taught them to respect that profession and respect the whole education process,” she says.

The inspirational posters throughout her room showcase her essence of positivity, which is just the word she chooses to describe herself.

“I try my best to always stay positive no matter what the situation is,” Richardson says, “In life you deal with a bunch of things…but I think you can always find something positive.”

She ends her point with her personal philosophy that she follows each and every day: “When in doubt, smile it out.”