From nest watching to teaching at Schuyler

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Photo Credit: Perla Mejia

Mrs. Swerczek getting ready for an experiment.

Perla Mejia, Staff Reporter

 A new face in the Science wing is Jennifer Swerczek. Mrs. Swerczek has been teaching for over 15 years. Mrs. Swerczek went to college at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Her first degree was in Wildlife Biology and she recently received her teaching certificate. Mrs. Swerczek spent most of her career teaching outdoor and environmental education programs in schools, at nature centers, and camps. She also taught 4-H and robotic programs. Last year, Mrs. Swerczek taught junior high math and science at a school in Lincoln. It was her first year. Mrs. Swerczek is  interested in teaching here because she wanted to teach biology at Schuyler Central High school.

One thing that no one knows about Mrs. Swerczek at SCHS is that, one summer she worked as a wildlife technician for the Nebraska Game and parks. Her job was to monitor the nests of the Least Tern and Piping Plovers, who at the time, were endangered bird species. Most nests were on land that sand and gravel pits were dredging, but they had to have access to the nests since the birds were federally protected. Some of the Piping Plovers nests that she monitored were located where Lake Socorro is now. Therefore, her first time visiting Schuyler was in the summer of 2002.