Jennifer Eaglen is the new Consumer and Family Science teacher at Italy High School. The class includes Lifetime Nutrition and Wellness and Child Development. In the child development part of the class, the students use “real babies” that they must be responsible for and take care of from feeding and changing diapers. The “babies” let them know when something is wrong by crying, long and loud.

“The babies will be used for the final exam this year,” said Eaglen. “I want my students to realize that taking care of a baby is a full time job and a big responsibility. It should be an interesting year since the class is mostly boys.”

Jennifer received a degree from Liberty University in Business and Education. She previously taught in Waxahachie.

She will be teaching Career Prep to her students at IHS also. The class will include how to dress for success, how to interview for a job and how to do research.

“Most of the career prep students do work release,” she explained. “I will check with their employers to ensure they are at work and doing what is expected of them. Their performance will reflect on their grade.”

She said she hopes to open her students’ heads as to what they can achieve through hard work. She said she also wants to show them there is a huge country out there just waiting for them.

She cares about her students and is willing to help them achieve their goals and be successful. She wants them to be productive citizens when they leave Italy High School whether in college, tech school or the work force.

“Consumer and Family Science are the perfect classes for me to teach,” she said. “I owned my own wedding cake and wedding photography business for several years. I understand that several of our students decorated cakes for competition in the past. I hope they will do that this year.”

Mrs. Eaglen loves doing anything creative including photography, scrapbooking, and repurposing old furniture. Her creativity is evident in her classroom with special bulletin boards and photographs on the wall.

“I think I am a very well rounded person. I served in the Navy for two years, worked in construction and retail, owned my own business and even ran a bed and breakfast in Montana. There are only two things I always wanted to be – a cop and a body builder. I don’t think those will ever happen. I really believe I am where God wants me and I am very content with that.”

She and her husband of 18 years, Scott, live in Ellis County with their two children; Aspen, a senior at Waxahachie High School and Brendon, a freshman at WHS.