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Jessica Short first knew she wanted to teach as a middle school student at Unioto Middle School , but she didn’t realize science would become her passion until her junior and senior years at Unioto High School.
Now, as the director of the Dayton Regional STEM Center and the coordinator of operations for the DO STEM Ecosystem , she works to expand high-quality STEM education and build strong partnerships between schools, industry and the community.
“I had one of those really great teachers in middle school that I really connected with,” Short said.
When she got into high school chemistry and physics she discovered that she loved the experiential, collaborative learning those classes provided. Her love of problem-solving, collaboration and hands-on learning shaped Short’s educational path.
Learning to be a teacher
She chose to pursue middle childhood education with concentrations in science and social studies at Ohio University Chillicothe , where she also cheered her freshman year. Though her transition to college was a challenge at first, she credits OHIO with helping her learn how to study, stay organized and communicate with professors—skills that proved essential in both her academic and professional career.
“I struggled for the first time when I entered college, and I wasn’t ready for that,” Short said. “But learning how to learn was critical. The small class sizes at OHIO Chillicothe gave me the chance to really build relationships with my professors, and that got me through those difficult courses.”
One of the most influential people in Short’s journey was her student teaching mentor, Lorna Buskirk, then a middle school science teacher at Unioto and now an education faculty member at OHIO Chillicothe.
“I couldn’t have selected or even dreamed of a better mentor,” Short said. “She challenged me but gave me the reins and trusted me. I felt so ahead of the game when I entered my own classroom because of her."
Buskirk knew Short was destined to be an amazing teacher from her first day as a student teacher.
“She has always had such excitement and enthusiasm for teaching science,” Buskirk said. “It has been very rewarding to watch her career flourish.”
Teaching and leading at schools in Ohio
After graduation, Short began her teaching career as a high school science teacher. She taught at Paint Valley High School and Huntington Local High School and quickly realized she wanted to pursue educational leadership. Inspired by her own high school principal, she began applying for administrative roles.
In 2017 Short accepted the position of high school principal at Dayton Regional STEM School, one of five independent public STEM schools launched in Ohio in 2007. She enjoyed leading a school built around project-based learning and real-world problem-solving. The school’s model emphasized critical thinking, collaboration and creativity over standardized testing. Short said outcomes spoke for themselves. Students thrived academically and went on to pursue ambitious paths.
“It was a really cool, unique school,” she said. “We weren’t focused on the test. The students did well on them, but it was because they were problem solvers.”
Today, Short brings that same innovative philosophy to her role supporting STEM education across six counties, leading professional development for educators and delivering student programming focused on what she calls “Strategies That Engage Minds.”
“Being out in a school district or at a student event and delivering programming or training on a STEM education philosophy…those are my favorite days,” she said. “I love leading a student leadership group or facilitating teacher development around STEM advocacy.”
She also spends time behind the scenes planning and building partnerships to help scale existing programs to make them more impactful.
Advice for future educators
Short advises future educators to maximize their learning opportunities, embrace different approaches to learning and teaching, and develop their own teaching philosophies.
“Always think about it through the lens of your own classroom,” she said. “What do you want students to be doing when they’re most engaged? What is your role in helping them get there?”
Though she has always taught science professionally, Short admits that her college science classes were among her most difficult. She credits her OHIO professors for helping her persevere, especially when she found herself in classes alongside biology and chemistry majors.
“My chemistry professor was really good at listening and understanding where we were coming from,” she said. “I was preparing to teach middle school science, and he was able to give me tips and tricks to help.”
Experiences at OHIO prepared her for her career
Short returned to OHIO Chillicothe recently to serve as the keynote speaker at a professional development day for area STEM teachers. While reflecting on her time at OHIO Chillicothe, she said the ability to stay local, save money and work while earning her degree were keys to her college choice.
“I knew what I wanted to be,” she said. “I wanted to be a teacher. I was able to see a clear path to the career I wanted.”
Short said the experiences she had as a student at OHIO Chillicothe helped prepare her for her transition from student to educator.
“I can't say enough about the hands-on experiences and the immersive experiences,” she said. “They're critical to the transition. Having that final experience in my student teaching made it so that I was very confident going into my career.”
Outside of work, Short maintains a full schedule cheering on her active son at sporting events and prioritizing family adventures that support their love for travel and new experiences.