Joy Scott, a longtime Piscataway resident, has fond memories of her education journey that began at Randolphville Elementary School, transitioning to Martin Luther King Intermediate School for 4th and 5th, Quibbletown for her middle school years, and finally PHS! She was extremely involved in PHS’s music program, playing the violin throughout her years, and she graduated in 2020, receiving her diploma through a drive-through graduation during the COVID lockdown.
Miss Scott recalls wanting to be a teacher for “as long as [she] can remember,” developing through her love for sharing knowledge and having meaningful conversations; however, she credits the blossoming of her present-day career to her exposure to profound literature, impactful role models, and influential classes.
Her curiosity towards education and its effects grew from the many amazing teachers at PHS, one of them being Mr. Storey, a beloved AP Lang teacher who unfortunately is no longer working here, for whom she was a student option.
Being more interested in humanities rather than STEM, especially as a kid, seeing herself represented in literature in one way or another provided a sense of comfort and attachment towards it, even when she could not fully grasp what it meant to and for her, as she puts it, “I just knew there was some kind of attachment between me and the book.” She takes pride in being able to write in a way that is clear, strong, and her, but finds even greater joy in being able to provide that for her students, knowing that they will be able to write in an effective yet authentic way in regard to anything humanly possible while enjoying the process of it all.
Along with that, having graduated from college relatively recently, and high school not being too long ago, she looks back at her school years and constantly sees herself in her students, remembering how it was a challenging and “particularly difficult time for [her],” which is one of the reasons she genuinely understands what it is actually like being a high school student. That is why for her, being able to potentially have a positive impact, being helpful, or that her classroom can uplift someone’s day became a force that led her here with us, at PHS!!!
When asked about her favorite piece of literature, Jane Eyre by English writer Charlotte Brontë came up, reason being that she by far feels the most connected to “strong female protagonists,” and even after it “being a book from so long ago,” Miss Scott expresses that the way Brontë portrays Jane in the novel beautifully depicts authenticity and intention, qualities that resonate with her.
Aside from the world of fiction, Miss Scott really looks forward to getting to know her students along with watching herself grow as an educator as she reflects on her recent graduation from Rutgers as well as the “transition from being a teacher to a student [being] really stark, especially in September,” but through it all says that the students are the reason she keeps going as she hopes to be able to “embody the kind of teacher [she] would like to be.”
Lastly, Miss Scott leaves us with 2 pieces of advice that she hopes students really consider, the first being that they should start “[trusting] themselves more,” expressing that “if you work hard and do the right thing, you will be okay.” She wishes that she had done that more during her time at PHS, knowing how easily things tend to fall apart and how much of it does.
Second being that, “life is much more than just school,” expressing that “it is a beautiful place” and “is where you are given so many great things,” however, is also “not the end of the world,” and that the storm does pass, even if it feels like your umbrella is on its last legs.
Welcome to PHS, Ms. Scott!
