“Make sure you’re a contributing member of an ever-changing society,” Mrs. Sweeney emphasizes to her students at the end of every class.
As a 1995 Hempfield Area graduate, Mrs. Sweeney has always had a passion for learning and teaching history. “In high school,” she said, “I used to take these up-run magazines from the New York Times just because I wanted to read them and learn everything I could. I just loved history.” It was this passion that drove her up through college and back to Hempfield Area School District to educate students on the importance of history, and with that, ignite that same love for learning within them.
In her years prior, she had spent 16 years teaching Ancient World History to 7th grade students at West Hempfield Middle, before seizing her opportunity to begin teaching Project 18 at our high school. “I never thought I would leave the middle school. It was comfortable; I knew exactly what to do and how to be. High school is so different from middle school,” Sweeney opens up about her adjustment to teaching at this new level. When adapting to a new chapter of one’s life, it is normal to have feelings of uncertainty. Mrs. Sweeney shows us that in spite of that, having confidence in yourself and hope for the future can carry you through those times and push you to grow into a confident and capable individual. “I love it, best decision I’ve ever made,” Sweeney expresses in regards to her first month as Hempfield Area’s Project 18 teacher.
Project 18, founded in 1973 by Mr. Rich Redmerski, is based on teaching civic responsibility in our place within our community. It highlights the way that we can make a greater difference in our school, environment, city, and state by teaching us how to be responsible, community minded members. By encouraging community involvement in its students, Project 18 promotes determination and exposure to real-world issues, allowing students to navigate and strive to make a difference in their community. Sweeney notes the disparaging difference in funding towards STEM education versus civics instruction in our country. She hopes to bridge this gap as she continues her career at Hempfield Area High School. “This class is application, which is so important. We are sending you off into adulthood, you have to learn to speak with people,” Sweeney stated.
Learning how to be a contributing member of an ever-changing society is arguably the most important trait someone could have. It shapes our environment, our effectiveness in societal issues, and our capability of shaping a brighter future. Mrs. Sweeney hopes to spark this ambition in her students as she develops their knowledge on the necessity of civic education and responsibility.