Where does inspiration strike? In Poland, of course. For Upper School health teacher and college counselor Sarah Sterling, her father’s Fulbright Scholarship moved her family to Poland, sparking her interest in the mental and emotional landscape of teenagers—a place some people dare not go.

 

“The connection I made,” Sarah laughs, “is that I was, as a freshman in high school, plopped into a public school in Poland. I didn’t speak the language! Surviving that made me super interested in the resiliency of teenagers.”

Despite having hated her high school experience, Sarah brings vibrancy and life to Shipley’s Upper School. Sarah is not the teacher students want because her class is a ‘breeze.’ She’s the teacher students want because her class relates to their interests. Her ability to relate to her students captures their attention while creating a fun, comfortable learning environment. “I think getting up and moving around are really important. Everything students are learning has to be very vibrant and exciting if I want it to stick in their brains. It has to be interesting enough to re-enter their minds when it matters in real life.”

Students know Sarah for her crazy-yet-brilliant activities. During the brain unit, 10th graders learn about the brain through the study of serial killers. “There are all kinds of research on the brains of serial killers. We identify traits and which parts of the brain malfunction when people experience emotional overlap (which, by the way, happens in the amygdala).” Ever watch Criminal Minds or CSI? What Sarah does in the classroom is relatable. “We play a game similar to mafia.” The students have to use their knowledge of the brain to determine who the serial killer is. A zombie apocalypse simulation teaches students about the spread of disease. (Read more about Sarah’s zombie apocalypse activity.) “Their parents should probably never know we’re doing this,” Sarah shrugs. But the students enjoy the unexpected which lies within Sarah’s classroom. “We have a good time!”

Sarah studied at Bryn Mawr College, receiving both her Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in social work there. “I worked primarily in medical social work, at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Albert Einstein Medical Center. My areas of interest were improving healthcare for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals,” she explains. “Somehow that led me here.”

In fact, Sarah was recruited by Shipley’s Director of Student Support Services, Sharron Russell. “I’ve known Sharron for a long time. We both volunteer with Main Line Youth Alliance. She presented me with this idea and said, ‘I need a teacher. Well, someone who can teach who isn’t a teacher.’” Sarah decided to give it a try.

When Sarah first arrived at Shipley, she was tasked with implementing the first high school emotional literacy course in the country in partnership with Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence. “It’s an incredibly interesting cognitive perspective on teaching students and educators to understand how emotions greatly impact their learning in a positive way.” Sounds like the perfect subject matter for a social worker dedicated to helping the adolescent population.

As of the start of the 2013-2014 academic year, Sarah added another role to her job description by joining the college counseling office. Though helping students find the perfect university may seem like a far cry from teaching emotional intelligence and health, Sarah thinks the work goes hand-in-hand. “Working with Yale to design curriculum appropriate for teenagers and all the things that teenagers go through greatly relates to the college counseling process. Understanding yourself helps you to understand what you want—ultimately linking that to success in college and success in career,” Sarah explains. “College counseling is such a unique system in and of itself, so it’s cool to see how my background in social work and personal interests overlap with this program.”

Sarah’s creativity in the classroom permeates her work in the college counseling office. “I’m most excited to come up with unique ways to help our students. I feel like Shipley students feel pressure to achieve great things and what that means to each of them is very different,” Sarah says. “So it’s good for them to see these goals aren’t so far out there, they are achievable. I enjoy seeing the students experience those epiphany moments, realizing their dreams really aren’t as far away as they think they are.”

Seeing the students mature, work hard, and accomplish great things keeps her motivated. “It’s significant to say Shipley is a very unique place. It’s pretty amazing to see the types of children and adults that Shipley grows.”

Between teaching and college counseling, Sarah can be pretty busy. Anyone who knows Sarah knows she’s always on the move—with a smile on her face. “I function well when I’m busy. Being bored is the worst thing ever.”

Sarah finds herself just as busy at home, too. “I’m trying to restore my 1910 bungalow with my wife. We’re doing a darn good job,” she proudly admits. She’s ripping out carpet, getting familiar with a caulk gun, and covering herself in paint. “It’s really fun!” With a passion for trail running and all things nature, she tries to be as sustainable as possible. “My big push is using products that come in recyclable or compostable materials. It’s really hard!”

What would Shipley students say about Sarah? “I think they would say that I’m quirky and positive—which I greatly appreciate. I’m happy with both of those.” Whether it’s finding new ways to captivate her students or learning how to use power tools, Sarah always does so with a positive attitude and high energy.