LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jennifer Harden

Position: Social Studies Teacher, Grades 10-12
School: San Diego High School
School District: San Diego Unified School District
City, State: San Diego, CA

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Jennifer Harden was nominated by Dempster Cherry, a member of the community.

Ms. Harden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from San Diego State University and a Master of Education in Cross-Cultural Education. Since starting her teaching career in 1994, she has taught approximately 5,000 students in San Diego Unified School District.

At the beginning of her career, Ms. Harden served as a Social Studies teacher at San Diego Union School District and as a teacher at San Diego High School for 22 years. She also served in other roles, including Department Chair, SSC - School Site Council, SGT - Site Governance Team, ILT - Instructional Leadership Team, Community Service Coordinator, 10th Grade Advisory lead, AVID Teacher, and Psychology Club Advisor. Ms. Harden has taught multiple subjects, including World History, United States History, Economics, Government, Psychology, AP World History, AP European History, and AP Psychology.

In 2002, under the leadership of Scott Guisti, San Diego High School became the first of three schools in the city of San Diego to adopt the small school model promoted and supported by Bill Gates, known as LEADS, which stands for Lead, Explore, Achieve, Discover, and Serve. San Diego High School became six small schools, each with a different theme, but occupying the same campus. This experiment is in its final stage, and in 2022, San Diego High School will be one comprehensive complex again.

As a San Diego High School teacher, she has had many amazing experiences. Below are a few highlights:

A homeless/sheltered student won the San Diego Charger Scholarship her junior year and a full-ride scholarship to the University of San Diego the following year.
Another student received the Gates Scholarship, which is a full scholarship through grad school. That student attended the American University and is now a history teacher.
Another of her students attended Wharton, an Ivy League school, and is now a published author.
Yet another of her students won the Promise Scholarship, which provided a full scholarship for two years to attend City College in San Diego. As a stipulation of the award, the student had to do community service and work at San Diego High School as a college outreach counselor. That student has recently completed his Ph.D. in physical therapy.

Ms. Harden has completed a number of professional development enrichment courses, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, Landmarks in American History, and The Gilder-Lehrman Summer Seminar at Yale. She received the Fulbright-Hayes GPA Scholarship award in Morocco, and she also taught in Cambodia through Asia-Pacific Education Travel. In 2006, she won the Plato Inspired Educator award, which provided a $200,000 grant to San Diego High School and was used to purchase a mathematics program for the school. Ms. Harden has been the Teacher of the Year Semi-Finalist for the San Diego Unified School District during the 2006-2007, 2008-2009, 2015-2016, and 2021-2022 school years.

Ms. Harden lives in San Diego. She enjoys martial arts, ice skating, football, and traveling when she is not teaching. Ms. Harden has visited 34 different US states and 30 different countries. San Diego High School serves an ethnically and economically diverse high school population.

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Comments (8)

Thelma Sanchez Posted over a year ago

Jennifer is one of the most thoughtful hard working teachers I know! She dedicates a lot of her time to our students and reminds us all of how much we are all appreciated. She's a wonderful person with a kind heart and is always willing to help. You will even find her on campus on Saturday's as she hosts Campus Clean Up days : ) Congratulations and thanks for all you do, YOU ROCK Jennifer!!!!!

Marisol Duenas Posted over a year ago

I cannot say enough about "Ms. Jennifer''! I have worked alongside her for the past eight years and as an Ed Specialist, working with students who have learning disabilities, it is often difficult to find supportive, patient and understanding teachers. Ms. Jennifer possesses these qualities, all while offering diverse learning opportunities, accommodations and differentiating instruction - which all require additional time in preparation. She motivates and pushes our students, just the right amount, so they can reach their full potential. I admire her stamina, work ethic and knowledge that definitely have earned her the title of Life-Changer, not just this year, but every year! Congrats Ms. Jennifer, for this well-deserved nomination, I appreciate YOU!

Linda Harden Posted over a year ago

Jenny is my sister in law. So I maybe biased. I can honestly say that she is more involved with her students than anyone else I know. She really tries to make them productive members of society. Isn't that what we need in this world now.

Alice Reiss-Malone Posted over a year ago

Jennifer Harden is one of the most dedicated teachers I know. We all see teachers who give their all to their students, but Jennifer Harden goes beyond that. She works hours to keep the staff together, keep the staff informed of upcoming events, and does the work that others feel like they don’t have time for. She is not just an excellent teacher, she is an excellent staff member.

Mark Braun Posted over a year ago

Jennifer Harden is a phenomenal member of the faculty at San Diego High School. She is enthusiastic and willing to go above and beyond to support her students. She is a regular faculty member supporting our Saturday School for attendance recovery and tutors students to help them meet their learning standards. As a parent of an incoming 9th grader, I hope my son has the opportunity to experience the magic that is Jennifer Harden's classroom.

Lili Posted over a year ago

I know Jenn for over 12 years. She is an amazing friend, always caring for others and helping everyone in need. She has integrity and great teaching ethics. She cares about her students and she is a big supporter of animal’s rights. I feel blessed to have her in my life and lucky to call her my friend ??

Yvonne Posted over a year ago

I’ve known Ms. Harden over 20 years. She’s a Superstar who puts her heart and soul into everything she does. She has enriched the lives of so many people with her tireless compassion to help others succeed. She is so deserving of recognition for all her accomplishments. She’s a true hero in today’s world!

Patricia Bacame Posted over a year ago

Ms. Jennifer is my go-to teacher at San Diego High whenever I would like to do a classroom presentation on college or financial aid, as an SDSU representative. She is always promoting s college-going culture in her classroom, for the benefit of her students.