6
THE RECORD FEATURES JUNE 6TH, 2022
Faculty Farewells Amelia Hirsch/Staff Photographer
Etta Singer Staff Writer Ari Palla / Staff Photographer
Kate Beckler Staff Writer
Huang turns a new page
Students can always turn to English teacher Jennifer Huang for advice or to rant to, Juliet Burgess (10), who had Huang in ninth grade, said. “I’m devastated that she’s leaving because I was so excited that I could have her for a second time in my high school career, and now that opportunity has been taken away.” Huang will be leaving at the end of the school year after four years as a teacher. “In many ways, working here has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life, but it’s time for me to move on,” Huang said. Along with student interactions, Huang cherishes her relationships with her colleagues in the English department. “They have all taught me so much about how to be a teacher, and just a person in general,” Huang said. She loves spending time with her fellow English teachers and respects them immensely, she said. Her favorite memories from her time at the school come from lunches around a circle table in the Berger Faculty Dining Room when a large group of seven or eight of her colleagues all eat together, she said. English teacher Stan Lau connected with Huang
in the English Department office, cafeteria, and through the APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) affinity space that they both advised, he said. Though he will miss many things about Huang, Lau will miss her patience and listening the most, he said. “She’s someone who’s got a very open heart and open mind, and no matter how my day is going, whether it be as a teacher or out of school, she’s just there for me.” English teacher Jennifer Little and Huang bonded over their mutual love of knitting and deep conversations, she said. “She’s really thoughtful and I think I’ve really learned a lot from her.” Along with missing her colleagues, Huang will miss the small moments in her every day routine the most, she said. Huang finds joy walking down the hallway or across Alumni Field and she waves at the students and faculty she knows, she said. Ever since finding out she is departing at the end of the year, three of Huang’s former students have been pretending she is a ghost when they pass her in the hallway, which makes Huang laugh, she said. “Those serendipitous little encounters have been a really nice part of the job.” Along with her work in the English department,
Huang has been the faculty advisor to the East Wind West Wind (EWWW) for three years. Advising EWWW has been one of Huang’s favorite activities to participate in during her time at the school because the students in the club are incredibly hardworking and dedicated, she said. “It’s amazing to see what they’re capable of and they surprise me in good ways every year.” Though she knows the work she does really matters to many students, there is also an added pressure, she said. Sometimes the good things about her job appear inseparable from the harder parts, she said. “There’s always a bit of apprehension that maybe if I make a mistake, it’ll have a negative impact,” she said. Huang does not know what she plans on doing next, so she feels both excited and uncertain, she said. She looks forward to sleeping in and getting an Apple TV+ subscription to catch up on all of the TV she missed out on because she had stacks of papers to grade. Burgess is excited to see what Huang will do next and plans on emailing her routinely, she said. “Knowing her, she’ll go on to bigger and better things,” Burgess said.
Administrative Assistant to the Department of Counseling and Guidance Christine Uhrowczik will leave the school after seven years of helping Upper Division students get the mental and emotional support they need. Her job involves setting up meetings between students and the faculty of the office, Uhrowczik said. “I help students, whether they are walk-ins or with scheduled appointments, and make sure there’s someone for them to speak with or make them an appointment.” Helping out the student body was always her goal, Uhrowczik said. “Seeing the kids grow, and just seeing their moods improve, even just a little, is really gratifying.” She also works with psychologist Dr. Ian Pervil on all accommodation requests. Uhrowczik began her journey at the school after she completed her master’s degree in school counseling. She has helped almost two cycles of high schoolers find times to meet with Counseling and Guidance, she said.
A position at the school as administrative assistant opened after she graduated. “It worked well with my life at the time and it’s been great,” Uhrowczik said. Uhrowczik loves the school and the people within it, she said. One of the best parts of the job is seeing students’ individual growth, she said. “If someone’s come in and had a bad day, it’s just nice to be able to help in whatever way I can.” Most of her friendships throughout the school came from within her department, she said. “My best connections were with the members of Guidance and Counseling, Mr. Shaw from the testing center, and the members of the dean’s office.” Along with her usual duties, Uhrowczik helps to run the testing center when Test Center Coordinator Jesse Shaw is unavailable. Uhrowczik has a large impact on the school, Sophia Liu (10) said. Although she mainly is friends with her colleagues in the Guidance & Counseling office, she is widely loved by the student body. “I’m
grateful for her because she was always really kind and helpful.” Not only does Uhrowczik welcome students into Counseling and Guidance with a smile on her face, she also supplies chocolates to the office, Etta Singer (10) said. There are many things she will miss about working at the school, especially after the seven great years she has spent here, Uhrowczik said. “I will miss the beautiful campus and all of my friends and colleagues at the school.” Like for the graduating class, this spring was a time of change and reflection for herself, Uhrowczik said. “I always look forward to hearing reports on where the kids have gone afterward and what they might be doing in their next chapter,” she said. Similar to the seniors, Uhrowczik is transitioning into the next stage in her life. “It’s another milestone,” she said.
and do great things, and you know that what you’ve taught them is going to have an influence on how they’re going to do that.” Doug made Julia Grant (12) realize she wants to go into the music business, she said. After taking Doug’s Music Theory and Recording Studio Technology classes, his passion and care for his students made Grant want to take his 400 level Music Theory and Composition class, Grant said. “As I progressed through high school and kept taking his classes, I was so passionate about it, and I owe that all to Mr. Epstein,” she said. Next year, Grant will attend USC for music business. “I would not have chosen that route and I would not have even applied to that music program or any music program if it weren’t for him,” she said. “We share experiences, colleagues, and stories in a way that leads to a richer understanding of the other person.” An example of Doug dedication was when Grant could not grasp a topic in her class, and Doug offered to meet with her for two consecutive periods, she said. “I know very few teachers who would take an hour and a half out of their day to teach me something.” Moreover, Doug works in a unique environment because his son Science teacher George Epstein works alongside him. Because work is a prominent part of their lives, working at the same institution has strengthened their relationship, George wrote. Although they do not work together, George likes working at the same institution as his father because they play off of each other’s strengths, he wrote. When he does a demonstration to his physics classes about waves and sound, Doug loans George specialized audio equipment and provides guidance, he wrote. George’s favorite moments from working with his father are from Music Week, he wrote. In the past, the duo has played for full-period sets under their stage name, “Wholly Ghost,” with George singing and Doug on guitar and vocals. This year, they did a rendition of the Elements Song at the
Music Week Assembly. Music Teacher Nathan Hetherington appreciates how valuable Doug is to the community, he said. “He came in with a lot of wonderful experiences in the professional music world, and he’s been generous enough to share that with the students and with us,” he said, “He’s been a really cool addition [to the department] that we will definitely miss.” Additionally, Doug brings an enlightening perspective on music, Hetherington said. “He’s done a lot to bring a lot of 20th and 21st century ideas into the theory classes and into the department,” he said. Students have learned valuable skills in Epstien’s class, Hetherington said. “A lot of students have had their first recording studio experience in Mr. Epstein’s class, and they have really fallen in love with that whole process, those tools, and that way of making music.” Brett Karpf (12), who was in Doug advisory and took his Music Theory class, will miss how relaxed Doug’s classes were, he said. “While you’re expected to contribute and create music, there aren’t lofty pressures that are placed on you.” As an advisor, Doug was always willing to listen to his students and offer advice, Karpf said. In addition to Doug’s teaching style, Karpf is amazed at how much knowledge Doug has about music, he said. “He’s one of the smartest and most bright teachers at the school in terms of his understanding of musical history and music theory,” he said. When Karpf’s class spent weeks creating songs, Doug created one in seconds, he said. “We were like, ‘Hey, can we see an example,’ and he, within seconds, would make three minute songs that were ready to be released to the public as actual songs,” he said. Karpf is grateful for a musical artist that Doug introduced him to, he said. Doug has alarms that are songs at the end of every class to keep track of time, and the alarm for Karpf’s class is Good
Vibrations by Beach Boys, which is now one of his favorite bands, he said. For Grant, Doug created a space where anyone who likes music can come together and enjoy it, she said. “One summer, I took a college course in music technology, and I missed Mr. Epstein’s teaching because he was so much more fun, and so much more hands-on,” she said. Doug will miss his students and his time at the school, but he is ready to change pace, he said. With the newfound freedom of retirement, he is planning to begin writing his own music. Though he received his BA in music theory and composition, he has only recently decided he has the power and stories to write his own work. “I became an artist helping other people with their music as a recording engineer and producer, but at this stage in my life, I have a lot of stories to tell, so I’m going to be writing music,” Doug said. Although Doug is not certain of what style his music will be in or what it will sound like, he knows that he wants to put his energy into writing music. “I’m looking forward to two big things,” he said. “One is not having an alarm clock pretty much ever again, and the other is being able to write.”
“Another milestone” for Uhrowczik
After 20 years, Epstein leaves on a high note
Ariella Frommer Staff Writer
“As tired as I am at 5:30 in the morning, when I get up, I know that by the time I’m in a class, the energy coming off of the kids is just going to lighten my day up,” Music teacher Doug Epstein said. Doug has been working at the school for over two decades and will be retiring at the end of this year. Doug was hired by the school in 1999 as a consultant to build the recording studio. But in 2012, Doug decided he wanted to teach. He knew how important early years in music are for students, because getting a good foundation is key to a music career, he said. “I also felt an obligation to pass along 35 years of knowledge of how recording music works.” Now, Doug enjoys learning from students just as much as they learn from him, he said. Before coming to the school, Doug was a recording engineer and producer. “I worked in the real music business out there in the world doing records, jingles, jazz records, and all kinds of really interesting things,” he said. He switched from producing music to teaching about music also because he wanted to be more involved with education, he said. He has now worked as a music teacher at the school for ten years. “I get a lot out of working with the kids because I am exposed to more music than I would ordinarily be listening to on my own,” he said. Doug cherishes the memories that remind him of his students’ passions — once, when his students were creating music for his class, he heard smashing sounds on the keyboard and realized how focused the kids were on their work, he said. “I didn’t hear what they were doing because they were wearing headphones, but just the sound of their fingers on the keys with energy, focus, drive, and determination was so exciting.” Though Doug won’t be returning to the school, he will remember his students fondly. “Certain kids just leave a profound memory,” he said, “And you know that they’re going to go out into the world
Cathrine Mong / Staff Photographer
