Elisha Nelson is currently a new teacher at Jacksonville High School; she is also a former Crimson. While a student at JHS, she was involved in science club and swim team for four years. The best thing about returning to her high school is the memories and seeing some of her old teachers; she loved all of her teachers and is a little disappointed that a majority of her teachers retired.  Before Nelson started teaching at JHS, she was a pre-school teacher at the early years program. She was also a dispatcher for 911.

However, Nelson’s aunt, mother, and most of her family were teachers, so she felt like she should continue this “pattern.” Not only is that the reason for her wanting to teach, but she has a love for biology which she teaches to freshmen now. She has a serious passion for science saying, “It’s the best thing ever.” Biology was her favorite subject throughout high school. She is looking forward to her students meeting her expectations which are pretty high, and she also hopes everyone can have fun with biology and love it just as much as she does. Nelson wants her students to strive for good grades as much as they can but more importantly ask for help when they really need it. She hates to see a kid in distress when they could always come to her and ask for help.

Nelson is currently not married and does not have a family of her own. In her free time she likes to do CrossFit. Most of her students say she is “thoughtful,” has a “good relationship” with students, and students in her advisory love her sense of humor, saying she’s “sarcastic.” Nelson plans on sticking with teaching until her retirement. Nelson went to Illinois State for one year then transferred to Illinois College for the last three years.