They met as DECA Chaperones and bonded over food. Three years later, Ms. Jaclyn Pitt and Dr. Kathyrn Lewis decided to apply for the open spot as Class of 2027 Advisors. Together, they each add their individual strengths to make the perfect team.
Pitt, entering her third year at Cherry Hill High School East as a Special Education teacher, works well with Lewis, who is enjoying her ninth year as a science teacher. This is a new experience for both teachers, where as advisors, they support the Class of 2027 Student Government Association leadership by holding weekly meetings, organizing events, fundraising for future activities, and fostering an inclusive environment for lasting high school memories.
Pitt started her career at East as the freshmen soccer coach, but began teaching special ed and social studies when the right job became available. Before joining the East staff, she received her Bachelor of Arts from Rowan University, and is currently working towards earning her Masters Degree at Rowan too. In Pitt’s free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, and supporting the Philadelphia sports teams.
One day, Pitt would love to pursue her dream of becoming an Archaeologist because “there is so much history left to discover in our world.”
Lewis began her teaching career at Burlington County College and Rowan College of Burlington County, but believed she “wasn’t making the connections she wanted,” so she decided to teach high school instead. This eventually led her to a career at East, where she teaches many different science classes including Biology, Dynamics in Healthcare, Introduction to Sports Medicine, Neuroscience and Society as well as Anatomy and Physiology.
After receiving two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in Biology from Salisbury and the other in Marine Biology and Environmental Science from the University of Maryland, Lewis earned a Doctorate in Chiropractic from New York Chiropractic College and practiced as a chiropractor for ten years. Her whole life, she always wanted to be a doctor, but along the way, Lewis “realized [her] passion was working with kids.”
In her free time, she loves watching her two daughters play soccer, taking her dog for walks, and spending time on the beach.
Both Pitt and Lewis share the same commitment to teaching and inspiring kids. Lewis especially enjoys working with Pitt because they “have a lot of the same values, thoughts, work ethic, and discipline.” Although they are similar when it comes to teaching, “they each have different strengths that make up for the other’s weaknesses.”
Lewis explains, “Our individual strengths, put together, will lead us towards the many goals we want to achieve for the year.”
We are a “dream team of advisors,” says Pitt, “and we plan to create a fun year for the freshmen class.”
More importantly, she wants students to feel welcome, like she did at Gloucester Catholic, and know that “her classroom door is always open.”
Together, they hope that the freshmen class takes advantage of all of the opportunities available to them so they can make their best high school memories and become responsible adults.
When asked to share advice with the East Class of ‘27, Pitt tells them, “Be present, be inclusive, and be you. Don’t ever change who you are to fit in and never be afraid to stand alone if it’s for what is right.”