*Teacher: Spanish/AVID 12*
By: Morgan Blechschmid, Danielle Shehee, and Ryan Pepera
November 6, 2020
Mrs. Jacalyn Holko has been a teacher at Brooklyn High School for 18 years. She teaches AVID 12 as well as Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, and AP Spanish. Holko has a great reputation when it comes to her students; her bright personality always brings her classroom a positive atmosphere for learning and interacting with others.
Q: Where did you go to college, and why did you choose it?
A: “I studied at Baldwin Wallace and La Universidad de Alcalá in Spain. I fell in love with Baldwin Wallace when I visited on a senior, overnight campus stay and knew it was the right place for me. When I studied abroad, I chose Alcala because it was a small town outside of Madrid.”
Q: Where were you born, and where did you grow up?
A: “I was born in Parma, moved to Brunswick for a few years, and then spent elementary school through high school years in Parma.”
Q: What hobbies are you interested in outside of work?
A: “I love watching Cleveland sports, spending time with my son and husband, baking, and watching tv shows like General Hospital and The Amazing Race.”
Q: What influenced you to become a Spanish teacher?
A: “I initially went to college to be a math teacher. I spent three days in calculus class during freshman year at BW and that was enough for me! I always enjoyed Spanish and made a switch to Spanish education, thanks to an influential teacher. My high school Spanish teacher is hands-down the best teacher I encountered in both high school and college.”
Q: How would you describe your experiences of learning and traveling abroad?
A: “Learning abroad as a student was the most challenging experience I have had, but it made me the person I am today. I learned a lot about myself during that time, and I encourage students to study abroad regardless of their major. Traveling abroad with students is a fabulous experience! It is so rewarding taking Brooklyn students on these trips and watching them grow. For many students, it is the start of their traveling journey, and I’m so happy to be a part of that.”
Q: If you could go back and relive/redo a previous trip, which one would it be?
A: “Wow, that’s a really difficult question. Every trip has its highlights. Barcelona is my favorite city to visit. The most beautiful places I have been are Cinque Terre, Lake Como, and Capri (Italy). My favorite excursions were running down sand dunes in France, riding a gondola in Venice (Italy), and traveling up the Swiss alps (Switzerland).”
Q: What is your favorite part of your job?
A: “Aside from traveling with students, I like that each day is different as a teacher. I look forward to the day when all the students are back here, and we can go back to normal activities!”
Thank you, Mrs. Holko, for all that you do for BHS. You are a major reason as to why students love Spanish and traveling. Your hard work does not go unnoticed.
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 