Sarah Crisp, mentee

I met Jennifer when she became my Girl Scout troop’s older helper starting in the late 70s/early 80s. Our mothers were co-leaders of the troop, so I got to know Adrienne, Jennifer, and Betty. Jennifer was two years older than me, and I looked up to her from the time I met her. As a troop helper, Jennifer became a role model for all of us. She was someone who could help us with scouting skills while also sharing advice and friendship. We really listened to her because she had that aura that older girls have with younger girls, the kind that made us feel special because she chose to come “hang out” with us. I always knew we could trust her to be honest with us. She was also a lot of fun to be around! I loved it when she laughed, because she laughed so easily; sometimes she would really get going, turn a little red, and you just had to laugh along with her! I always thought Jennifer was “cool,” not in a typical-middle/high-school-girl-in-the-80s kind of way, but in the sense that she was genuine and actually seemed interested in us. I wanted so much to be like her. 

Jennifer was also the only reason I passed middle school algebra, and I say this without a trace of hyperbole. I was a (previously) straight-A kid who suddenly made Cs or worse in math because I just could not understand it. I’d always enjoyed school and being a student, but I began to feel like I was “dumb” as I watched all my friends succeed and leave me behind. My parents tried to help, but that went about as well as it probably goes now with parents helping their children do math in ways that are unfamiliar to them. Everyone knew Jennifer was brilliant, and my mom asked her if she’d consider tutoring me. I met with her at her house weekly as we went over homework and reviewed the concepts I struggled with most. She was incredibly patient with me and never made me feel like my questions were stupid. She explained things in a way my teacher didn’t, but she also worked on building my confidence. I still remember how happy she was when I got an answer right or finally understood a concept. She made me believe in myself. I'm most grateful for that. Looking back, I realize I was seeing early glimpses of the teacher she’d become.

Jennifer's path to teaching is especially meaningful to me now as an educator who teaches future educators. When she was accepted into Yale, not one person at Oldham County High School was surprised she'd gotten in; they were shocked, though, to learn she planned to major in education. I remember people actually saying, ‘Why would you go to Yale to be “just a teacher?’” As someone who also planned to become a teacher, this offended me; as someone who looked up to Jennifer, it angered me; and as someone who is now at the end of my own teaching career, it inspires me. She knew exactly what she was doing and why. Why shouldn’t the best and brightest become teachers, and why shouldn’t they do that at the very best schools? This became an important realization to my 16-year-old self, and I try to instill this sense of urgency and reverence for the career in the future teachers in my own classroom. From everything I’ve seen and heard, Jennifer has been an important and influential teacher, professor, and leader who has no doubt impacted countless lives. 

I feel incredibly fortunate that Jennifer was part of my life at such an important age. Long before I understood what it meant to be a teacher, she showed me what a teacher could be: someone who is smart without making others feel small, patient without being patronizing, honest and genuine, and able to make someone believe they are capable of more than they thought. I’m grateful to have known Jennifer. I’m so sorry for your profound loss and will be thinking of you in the days and months ahead. 

With deepest sympathy, 

Sarah (Coomes) Crisp