Mary Hershey's Chemistry Classroom

Gummi bears may not be obvious lab material, but in Mary Hershey’s chemistry class, they’re popular fodder for demonstrations. When they go up in flames, students are fired up—to the point of applause. Such displays help Hershey’s Chemistry 1 and Advanced Chemistry classes at State High understand concepts and connect with a challenging subject. “Just last week, we lit methane bubbles to teach them combustion,” Hershey said. “So you can teach chemical ideas through demonstrations, and when the demonstrations are in their head, you can draw on them to help teach and ask questions almost all year.” Just as importantly, they pique students’ curiosity and fuel their imagination. In other words, they make chemistry fun. It’s an approach that has served Hershey well during her 28 years of teaching science at State High.

Upon switching to the university, she worked in the biochemistry department doing research. That’s where she made the jump to teaching. She met Marguerite Ciolkosz, a State High chemistry teacher conducting postdoctoral research at Penn State. When Hershey later left to care for her young children, Ciolkosz inspired her to contemplate a career change. Hershey looked at her science credits and decided a teaching certificate was within reach. Along the way to her certificate, she student taught with Ciolkosz at State High, the prelude for her joining the district. “I really enjoy kids, and young people in particular,” she said. “So high school biology and chemistry seemed to be a pretty good fit.” A major step was an assignment to the Applied Academics team, now dissolved but then a group of teachers who instructed vocational-technical students in core academic subjects. It was an adjustment for Hershey from teaching advanced biology, but her veteran colleagues helped her succeed. During her seven years of training with those experiences teachers, she absorbed wisdom about motivating students,