We love to recognize our #AwesomeAlumni through #AlumniSpotlights. Today’s alumni spotlight is servicing the very school from which she graduated! We will be sending our May Wheeling Park High School Alumni email tomorrow morning, but today, say “Hello” to Jenn Mathieu.
Ms. Mathieu attended BeBethlehem Elementary SchoolTrTriadelphia Middle Schooland Wheeling Park High School. She graduated in 2005.
In her time at WPHS Mathieu participated mainly in Speech and Debate and Theater. She also played volleyball and was in the band her freshman year.
“Without the experience and the educators I encountered at OCS, I would not be the person I am today. In high school, my Speech coach, Fran Schoolcraft, saw something in me that no others did and that I hadn’t fully seen in myself yet. She named me co-captain of the Speech Team and gave me leadership roles because she saw an ability in me that I hadn’t come to realize yet. This, as well as my experience on the speech team, set me off on a path to realize I could accomplish anything, use my voice to speak on things I care about, and handle leadership roles,” Mathieu states.
Following graduation, “I attended WeWest Virginia Universitynd earned my Bachelor’s in Communication and English and a Master’s in Counseling with a concentration in School Counseling. I then moved to Culpeper, Virginia, where I was a School Counselor there for 7 years. In spring of 2019, my good friend, Kayla Nelson, let me know there was a counseling opening at Wheeling Park. I knew eventually, I wanted to come back to the valley - it’s home. However, I only wanted to do so if I could be at Wheeling Park High School, because not only is it near and dear to my heart, it also offers students immeasurable opportunities. I am so passionate about being a school counselor and providing my students with a place that they can feel safe and seen and be themselves while at school. It has been so rewarding to bring that back to the community I grew up in. Standing at the end of the ramp at graduation to hug my seniors fills my heart with pride,” Mathieu adds.
Outside of being a school counselor? “I am also a Speech and Debate coach and a Theater Assistant. After leaving WPHS, I never really left the speech world. I coached a small team with a colleague while in Virginia. It’s always been something I connect deeply with and feel is such a great activity for high school students to participate in. It has been an honor to work with Bill Cornforth in both his 1st championship in 2005 as his co-captain and his final one in 2023 as his assistant.”
And a final fun fact?! “I am the biggest Swiftie! I am also a dedicated dog mom, and devoted aunt to my 2 nephews, Miles and Henry.”
Thank you Ms. Mathieu for returning to your roots. We are so lucky to have you at Wheeling Park and in Ohio County.
Do you have an interesting alumni story? Reach out to us at wphsalumniwv@wphs.ohio.k12.wv.us to share your story!
#TogetherWeAchieve #alumni #SchoolCounselor