Growing up in the small town of Rhinelander,  Mrs. Jessica Nunez prepared to graduate high school early and enroll in the military. Nunez was filled with passion as she thought about life and the future she had planned for herself as a potential veterinarian after serving. 

Nunez moved to New York and attended the City University of New York Technology. She shadowed a vet and after getting an inside look at the profession, she soon realized it was not the job for her. 

Despite her heartbreaking job shadow, Nunez had known from a young age that she wanted to work in the science field. She continued to study biology and love research, which led her to a plethora of careers such as microbiologist, lab technician, and after dealing with some pretty heavy death cases as a medical examiner, she tried subbing to take a break. 

While subbing she formed close relationships with her students; although she never envisioned herself as a teacher, she got her teaching license at UWO so she could continue to assist students. Senior Afton Congdon, a student of Nunez, said: “She’s very passionate about each and every person’s mental health. She wants the best for all her students.”

Currently teaching AP Biology at NHS, Nunez has loved the involvement Neenah students have and their passion for learning. Although teaching amid a pandemic is hard and she misses seeing the engagement with her students, Nunez loves that they do not have to worry about falling behind or being flooded with work if they need to quarantine.

Nunez is so thankful for all the quality time she can spend with her family during the pandemic. Her husband and two sons are so excited to be welcoming a new member to the family as Nunez has a baby due in about five weeks. Their family likes to go on walks together, play tennis and take care of their poison dart frogs, tortuous, bearded dragon, dog and mourning geckos (all female). Reptiles Magazine states they are only 3.5” long,  which explains why Nunez says they are always escaping from their terrarium. Even though teaching is sometimes stressful, and she never imagined herself doing it, she is so thankful to call this her career and would not change it for the world.