The CHIEF December 2019

New Staff Conversation: Mrs. Westergreen Interview By: Joe Gilmor

This year, we here at PTHS have had the honor of welcoming several new additions to our teaching staff and faculty. One new member is Mrs. Betsy Westergreen, our current Career and Community Services Director and Business teacher. Mrs. Westergreen was born and raised right here in Pontiac, and the idea of coming back to her home school to teach has always appealed to her. Before graduating high school, Mrs. Westergreen was heavily involved in both the Music department and school athletics, being named drum major for two years in Marching Band as well as being a member of both the National Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society. After leaving PTHS, Mrs. Westergreen furthered her education at Illinois State University, where she earned a degree in Business Education. According to Mrs. Westergreen, her time at Pontiac so far has been a blast, and she loves interacting with both students and staff. Recently, Mrs. Westergreen oversaw the production of the first PTHS Marketplace, where students had a chance to network with local business areas throughout Pontiac and the surrounding areas. Mrs. Westergreen’s role as Career and Community Services Director tends to go hand-in-hand with her teaching career, as it allows her to cover a broad range of subjects and to connect with potential guest speakers for her classes. Her unique role also allows Mrs. Westergreen to better connect with students and form relationships on a much deeper level. She feels that Pontiac manages to provide a very personal experience for its students for a school of its size. Mrs. Westergreen advises any and all students seeking a career in an educational or business field to get involved in high school early, as becoming a well-rounded individual will prove important no matter what occupation one pursues. In short, Mrs. Westergreen has wasted no time in making her mark on PTHS, and on behalf of all Pontiac students we here at The Chief would like to grant her a warm welcome.