Ms. Kelley is one of the seven newest teachers here at Peddie. Graduating from Penn State University, Ms. Kelley lived in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, for 23 years before moving to Peddie to call the upperclassmen girls dorm, Green, her new home. During her few weeks at Peddie, there is no doubt that Ms. Kelley has already contributed to the community both inside and outside of the classroom. From spending her mornings on the third floor of Annenberg, where she teaches AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics, to afternoons outside coaching JV Cross Country and finally ending nights in Green, it is evident that her first moments at Peddie have been anything short of busy.
When asked, Ms. Kelley expressed how her week has been filled with some new and difficult adjustments, specifically staying up as late as 11 p.m. on dorm nights. However, she also emphasized how there have been many rewarding moments within the community, when asked how her experience has been thus far. Ms. Kelley stated, ‘I am so impressed by life at Peddie these past few weeks. Everyone in this community, no matter their role, has helped me feel at home. Veteran Peddie teachers, students, faculty, staff, PFS, the list goes on and on. This place is full of top-notch people who are all proud of the community you all share here, and I feel lucky to be a part of it.”
When questioned about how she hopes to impact the Peddie community during her time here, Ms. Kelley humbly noted, “I think it might be presumptuous to think that I will make an impact on Peddie. But I know that Peddie and its community will have an impact on me!
“If I had to name something that I hope to contribute to the roles I take on here, I would have to say that in the classroom, I want to share my enthusiasm for math.”
In addition to Ms. Kelley’s fervor within the classroom, her eagerness spreads just as far outside of it. From biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing, paddleboarding and more, Ms. Kelley emphasized her ardor for exploring many outdoor activities by exclaiming, “‘There are very few crafts that I haven’t at least tried.” In fact, Ms. Kelley is licensed to ride a motorcycle, drive a boat and scuba dive, which are facts she believes people would never be able to guess about her. Despite her admirable nature-driven interests, when questioned about what job she would have if it weren’t that of teaching, Ms. Kelley explained she doesn’t know what she would do. Though she dislikes being the center of attention and speaking in front of big groups of people, she still feels most at home in the classroom.
Ms. Kelley’s range of passions, from teaching to partaking in her favorite outdoor hobbies and more, clearly highlights her yearning to seek new adventures and a willingness to foster newness. That willingness expands beyond herself and into the Peddie community, where she has already influenced her students and faculty alike, nurturing a new journey within Peddie’s book.
