Vanessa Price, a member of West’s Class of 2006, has returned to teach in the social studies department.
A former yearbook staff member, Price now teaches civics and economics and world history, and next semester she will teach American History II.
As a former student at West, Price participated in cross country, Pride, National Honor Society, soccer and Future Teachers of America during her high school career. Her father, Greg Price, ISS coordinator, has worked for the school for more than 25 years. He was the senior guidance counselor for many years.
“My favorite subject in school was history,” Price said. “History has always been my passion.”
After graduating from West, Price then went to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate and graduate degree. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in history and a master of arts degree in teaching. During college she also worked with UNC’s athletic and academic programs.
Price then taught in Durham at Hillside High School for four years. There she started teaching civics and economics and then world history. Price was then moved to the International Baccalaureate Program, teaching IB History of the Americas and IB 20th Century World History.
“It is an entirely different demographic here than where I was, an entirely different location,” Price said. “Where I was previously in the city, it could be classified as inner city, and here it’s more country. The size of the school is very similar but that’s about where it stops.”
Price said she is enjoying her first two months working here.
“I like the atmosphere here, the staff is friendly and great, and getting to work with the teachers that inspired me to teach is fun. The students are fantastic, and I like the area,” Price said. “It is strange having some of my teachers here that had me. It’s still very hard for me to call them by their first name.”
Price now has to use the 10-point grading scale. She said she is not opposed to the new system.
“I think it better aligns with college, so it prepares students to see that,” Price said. “I think it will also prepare them for understanding how things are graded in college, that even though it’s on a 10-point scale, it’s still A, B, C, D, F, and a lot of professors put in their mind what an A paper is and what a B paper is and not necessarily a number.”
By Bryn Bowen
