Of all the jobs a school teacher may have previously had, being a zookeeper is not very common on that list. This unique experience and her teaching techniques make Mrs. Rickert a different and interesting teacher.

Rickert worked at the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium outside of Phoenix, Arizona before pursuing her teaching career.

“Oh I loved it! It was the best job,” said Rickert. She worked with “lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, wolves, and monkeys.I got attacked a lot! Monkeys are awful, I got attacked all the time,” said Rickert.

When she realized zookeeping wasn’t for her she “kept thinking back to the teachers I had in high school, specifically my anatomy and physiology teacher, and he just really inspired me. So I wanted to be a teacher like that, someone that makes them want to go to college and major in biology.”

Many of her student admire her teaching techniques. “She is an effective teacher while still knowing how to joke around and have fun,” said Keller Brown (11).

Mrs. Rickert loves the SJHHS students and staff, and all of their support. When not at school she is with her family of 2 kids and loves to read.