This week’s edition of Throwback Thursday features World History teacher, Mrs. Gent, who offers an insight about her past experiences as a high school and college student.

What extracurricular activities did you participate in?

“I participated in softball and golf in high school. In college, I was in a sorority (Alpha Omicron Pi), played club softball for the school and worked at the ice rink where I learned to play ice hockey.”

Why did you become a history teacher?

“I earned my degree in Criminology with the intent of going into law enforcement. However, my husband was already a police officer and after hearing his stories, I realized that I was not made to do that job and that instead, I would use my love of history and young people to try to make a difference, potentially keeping good kids out of tough or bad situations.”

Where did you go to college and why?

“I went to the University of Illinois. Not only was it an in-state university, it is also a top school.”

What was your most embarrassing moment in high school?

“Are you kidding? I had a southern accent, living outside of Chicago. Everyday was embarrassing!”

What were you like in high school?

“I was an introvert in high school. We moved from a town I had grown up in to a new state between my sophomore and junior year of high school. Being the quiet kid from Alabama, outgoing kids in northern Illinois weren’t easy to make friends with.”

What is the most shocking thing about you when you were in high school?

“I weighed almost 70 pounds more than I do now and had long hair.”

What was your favorite memory from high school?

“I don’t have just one memory that sticks out in high school. My favorite times were on the softball field where I truly felt comfortable no matter which state I was in. Otherwise, I would say my senior year in general, as I had a foreign exchange student from England who became one of my greatest and longest-lasting friends (still close friends today).”