Jonathon Waugh sits at his desk, admiring the art before him. Near the top left of the whiteboard lies a breakfast delicacy, a “Waugh-ffle”; on the right side is a timepiece captioned “Waugh-tch”; and, toward the center, a great “Waugh-terfall” crashes down.
Since the beginning of the school year, the artwork centered around puns involving the science teacher’s last name has expanded, brightening up Waugh’s classroom with its colorful humor. Dubbed “The Waugh-ll,” the tribute was created by sophomore Ha Lien Gaskin, who, in the first few days of school, saw the potential of Waugh’s last name as the source of lighthearted humor and expression.
“I just started doodling them on the board and then, when I came back to school the next day, I saw that the board had gotten more puns,” she said.
Although this is Waugh’s first year teaching at Chapel Hill High School, he is in his 15th year as an educator. Previously at Cary’s Green Hope High School, Waugh said he felt disconnected from the community, since he lived in Chapel Hill, so, when a teaching position opened up at Chapel High School, Waugh seized the opportunity and was hired as a chemistry teacher.
Waugh also has experience teaching biology, environmental science and forensic science, which he said is his favorite course as an instructor. Overall, Waugh is enamored with science because of its research-based nature and emphasis on problem-solving.
Waugh graduated from UNC-Greensboro and originally worked in a lab. However, he decided to pursue a career in education when he realized that teaching was much better suited to him.
“It gets lonely, just you in a lab, and I just enjoyed being around people,” he said.
As such, Waugh said he promotes an accommodating and welcoming environment that can be seen in the rapport he’s established with his students; he hopes to foster productivity as a result of building relationships.
“I think that because we have such a good relationship, I’m more likely to put in more effort,” Gaskin said.
On top of his friendly demeanor, Waugh tries to help his students think about long-term career goals, emphasizing the importance of finding a direction in life.
“[The most rewarding part] is getting to know students and seeing them in the future,” he said.
Right next to “The Waugh-ll,” thank-you cards from former students adorn the whiteboard, accentuating the hospitality of Waugh’s classroom. Each one contains a memory of how Waugh has influenced someone’s life.
“The Waugh-ll” marks the continuation of the impact Waugh has made on his pupils, and surely it won’t be long before numerous thank-you notes from Tiger students complement all of the puns on the science teacher’s whiteboard.
