If you’ve been enrolled in any chemistry or advanced biology courses in the past two years, chances are at least one of them was taught by Mrs. Michelle Leonard. In her time at MSMS Mrs.Leonard has taught a wide array of courses, such as Properties of Matter, Chemical Reactions, Microbiology, and Human Infectious Diseases. She also serves as the coach of the MSMS Blue Waves swim team. Speaking on her favorite classes, Mrs.Leonard stated, “I really like all of the classes I’ve gotten to teach here at MSMS. Prior to being here, I only taught biology courses. I didn’t think I was going to enjoy teaching chemistry, but it’s actually been a lot of fun and a good challenge. I really love microbiology, so it’s fun teaching that course. But HID might have to be my favorite as it’s a challenging class and we get to talk about a lot of cool gross stuff.”

At the age of an average MSMS student, Mrs.Leonard says she was “your typical high school student.” “I did well enough in school to keep my parents off my back, but I wasn’t super into academics. Most of my time was spent at swim practice, the ballet studio, or playing the cello with various orchestras at my school. The rest of my time was spent eating or sleeping.” Throughout high school,  Mrs. Leonard sought to attend the US Air Force Academy and join their swim team; however, upon visiting the Academy she decided that it wasn’t for her and made a quick change to Colorado State University, where she studied pre-medical science.

When considering a career, Mrs.Leonard said, “I ultimately decided I wanted to be a doctor, so I started the application process during grad school. However, while shadowing doctor after doctor I had no desire to pursue it as a career so I never finished my applications. I was volunteering as a swim coach at the time, and I really loved working with high school-aged swimmers. Coaching is kind of like teaching, and so I thought it would be a great opportunity to work with students of this age and share my passion for science. I don’t regret it one bit!”

Mrs.Leonard was brought to Columbus by her husband’s profession at the Air Force base, and previously taught at Columbus High School, where she first learned about The Mississippi School of Mathematics and Science. Mrs. Leonard says “I think a lot of stars aligned for me to be able to work at MSMS. As far as my educational background goes, I was a pre-med student as an undergrad which has really helped in teaching HID. I also worked in a microbiology research lab and minored in microbiology, which has served me well teaching microbiology. And in grad school I studied Toxicology, which required a significant understanding of chemistry in addition to anatomy/physiology. Having a background in both sciences helps as I teach both here at MSMS.”

She also mentioned that “Not being from the South, I had a lot of preconceived notions about the South prior to moving here, particularly in regards to the educational system. Working in schools like Columbus High sometimes reinforced those stereotypes. It was definitely refreshing to find a school that defies a lot of those stereotypes and shows that it is possible to receive a quality education in the South.”

There is no doubt that MSMS is far different from most high schools and Leonard spoke to how her time here has been different Mrs. “In short, it’s been amazing. The students and faculty actually want to be here, which is such a change from my previous teaching experiences. My superiors trust that I know what I am doing and encourage me to challenge my students. I’m given a lot more freedom to teach things I think will be relevant as opposed to simply teaching to the test. We also have a lot more resources here than at any other school I’ve worked at. Being able to do the labs we do, particularly in Microbiology, is something very few high school students get to experience and it’s awesome that I can do that!” Mrs. Leonard also noted that MSMS students “aren’t afraid of a challenge,” a trait that she credits as one of her most favorite things about teaching here.

Unfortunately, this year is the last year that Mrs.Leonard will be teaching at MSMS. She says that she is “going to miss my co-workers and the students a lot! Having the flexibility to take a class in any direction is also something I’m going to miss.” With her time here coming to a close, some advice Mrs.Leonard offers to MSMS students is to “enjoy your time here. Take advantage of all of the opportunities this school offers you, as it is an experience that very few high school students get!”