JCHS educator named Georgia Science Teacher of the Year

A keen interest in science, biology specifically, will normally lead to some kind of career in the medical field. However, Jefferson County High School Biology teacher Jasmine Change-Jones found the gross anatomy of the medical field, gross.

“I have always loved science, particularly biology. I was excited about going into the medical field but I just didn’t enjoy all of the blood and fluids,” Change said. “Even that certainly didn’t change my feelings about biology. I had teachers when I was a student at JCHS that believed in my ability to be able to teach biology, so that is what pushed me in the direction.”

Evidence of her passion for educating and teaching high school students was on full display with Change being selected as the 2023-2024 Jefferson High School Teacher of the Year and also represented Jefferson County for Georgia State Teacher of the Year.

Change’s accolades keep ascending but the latest award is one that she really takes pride in. She was recently named the Georgia Science Teachers Association Teacher of the Year.

“I’m so honored and humbled to receive any award but this is special because this is something from science colleagues and peers,” she said. “A committee of science teachers throughout the state looked at the candidates. These people love science as much as I do and are constantly working on fresh ways to present science to students in a way that students can make real world connections.”

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) has been a focus across the United States and a burgeoning field in Georgia. Change wants to create new avenues that are based in real world application and wants students to understand and apply what they learn in the classroom to science in the 21st century.

“The way science is taught has changed overtime from more lecture based to more real world. Honestly, you can look around the world and see that the United Stated remains woefully behind the world,” Change said. “We are doing some good things but there is so much more we can do that we get students excited and willing to embrace science more. Science is all around us and I want students to be able to take their prior knowledge coupled with their coursework and put that into real life application.”

Finding new ways to teach science and inspire the next generation of scientists is what motivated her undergraduate degree in Biology at Valdosta State University, Masters in Biology Secondary Education from Augusta University, and most recently acceptance to the University of Georgia’s Ed.D program in Science Education.

“I just found out that I was accepted to UGA for my doctorate. I’m really excited about this next part of the this journey and my goal is to transform the way students learn, apply, and use science in their own lives,” Change said.

Her Jefferson County roots beat steadily in her heart and influence all she does.

“First of all, I want to give our kids as much exposure to other places and experiences that will create an appreciation and understanding of science and how it’s all around us. Only 11% of minorities are working in STEM fields and I know we can do better with that,” Change said.

One of her favorite activities that also shows students about the processed food they eat is the McMush lab which looks at molecules in a blended up McDonald’s Happy Meal. When students study food webs she takes them to the archery course in the woods at JCHS so they can see real life food webs.

“We are taking a field trip with AP Biology to Jekyll island in the spring to see the ocean and the difference in environments compared to Jefferson County,” Change said.

This past year since she just recently began teaching a new AP Biology course and last spring saw students pass the test and earn college credit.

Change’s excitement and passion has certainly influenced some of her students.

“I have former students that are considering STEM fields as careers,” she said. “I am honored that I was able to show them how important science is and how there are so many ways to the real world and their own lives and even their careers. I can’t wait to help make science education real world but not just to students here but all over,”