Mr. Kairi Young feels enthusiastic about his new job at Cherry Hill East

A new math teacher, Mr. Kairi Young, joins the Cherry Hill East community for the current 2019-2020 school year. Young says he has chosen to come to East due to the impressive values the students and staff possess, heavily focused on extracurriculars, school spirit, and academics. 

Young teaches Enriched Algebra and Geometry classes and has developed a passion for teaching math. 

 “Math itself is interesting because…it has a lot to do with application and broadening student’s perspectives and minds,” Young said.

Before coming to East, Young spent eight years in Camden, New Jersey, as a math teacher at Medical Arts High School.  Following this job, Young was the assistant principal at Olney Charter High School, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Young’s first few weeks at East have been filled with immense support.  Everyone he’s met has exemplified kind and welcoming behavior. Even so, he describes his experiences so far as “eye-opening”.

He acknowledges the adjustment period necessary in order to become fully comfortable in this new setting, considering how the schools he worked in prior to East had a very different environment. However, these changes only appear to be positive. East offers wider access to technology, making it easier for Young to communicate with his students.

Young recognizes that there is still a lot he needs to learn about East. One challenge he faces is determining where each of his individual freshman and sophomore students lie in terms of previous knowledge. He credits this struggle to the wide array of information his students have already been taught, creating more variation between skill level.

The main message Young wants the students of Cherry Hill East to know is that he’s always there to help. 

“I am here to support in every aspect, in terms of not only academic growth…but as well as…preparing them and growing them in terms of their character,” said Young. 

Young additionally stresses the importance of professionalism, and readiness for post-secondary life, but also makes sure he is a positive presence in the classroom. 

 “[Young’s] a good guy…who jokes around and teaches us well,” said Bar Leshed (’23), one of Young’s students.  

This positive attitude Leshed describes translates in Young’s opinions regarding East. He beams about its wonderful community, and says he wouldn’t change anything about his year thus far.

Young could not be more excited to begin the next chapter of his life.  He already loves East, and cannot wait to see what this year has in store for him.