- Orange High School
- Science
Science Department
-
Department Chair
Andromeda Crowell
Extension: 20405
Email: andromeda.crowell@orange.k12.nc.us
College Attended: UNC-Chapel Hill
Why I am a Teacher: I love science and I think it has the power to change the world for the better, but I think there is also a misconception that it is too hard or confusing for most people. I teach because I want everyone to understand science and believe that they can do it!
Heroes: Rosalind Franklin, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Malala Yousafzai. These women inspire me because they pursued their dreams and spoke their truth despite the obstacles.
Favorite Book: Impossible to choose, but I did really enjoy, "The Hate U Give" recently.
Classes
Homeroom
Block 1: AP Biology
Block 2: AP Biology
Block 3: Planning
Block 4: Honors Anatomy and Physiology
Teacher
Geoffrey Bowman
Extension: 20408
Email: geoffrey.bowman@orange.k12.nc.us
College Attended: Virginia Tech
Heroes: My parents - both were educators and have been the most influential on my life.
Classes
Homeroom
Block 1: AP Chemistry
Block 2: Forensics
Block 3: Planning
Block 4: Forensics
Teacher
Rachel Fort
Extension: 20402
Email: rachel.fort@orange.k12.nc.us
College: UNC-Chapel Hill
Why I am a Teacher: I love being able to share my excitement of biology and environmental science with a new group of students every year!
Classes
Homeroom
Block 1: AP Environmental Science
Block 2: Biology
Block 3: Biology
Block 4: Planning
Teacher
Alexandra Geiger
Extension: 20506
Email: alexandra.geiger@orange.k12.nc.us
College Attended: Duke University
Why I am a Teacher: I have loved science all my life and I was so lucky to have teachers who recognized and fostered that love within me. Even if a student doesn't love science, I want to help ensure they love learning and feel that my classroom is a space where they are needed and welcome! Also, I am so lucky to get to go to work each day and spend time with the funniest, brightest, most inspiring kids I know!
Heroes: My grandparents, the children of immigrants who lost family in the Holocaust, survived the Great Depression, served during in WWII, and taught me so much about love, life, and what really matters.
Favorite Book: I am terrible at favorites! The most recent I read was Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.Classes
Homeroom
Block 1: Planning
Block 2: Earth and Environmental Science
Block 3: Earth and Environmental Science
Block 4: Earth and Environmental Science
Teacher
Rachel Oliver
Extension:
Email: rachel.oliver@orange.k12.nc.us
College Attended: UNC-Chapel Hill
Why I am a Teacher: Two of my favorite teachers were my high school biology teacher and my Biology 101 professor at Carolina. They gave me a passion for biology that I want to pass on to students of my own!
Heroes: Mia Hamm and Michael Jordan -- Tar Heel legends
Favorite Book: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Classes
Homeroom
Block 1: Biology Honors
Block 2: Planning
Block 3: Biology
Block 4: Biology Honors
Teacher
Kristin Riley
Extension: 20404
Email: kristin.riley@orange.k12.nc.us
College Attended: University of Connecticut (B.S.), Duke University (M.S)
Why I am a Teacher: I enjoy working with students and making science interesting and accessible
Heroes: Dr. Sylvia Earl- her lifelong quest to preserve ocean ecosystems is inspiring; Sir David Attenborough- I appreciate his desire to bring people to wild places through film in an effort to support conservation; Greta Thunberg- She represents the power of youthful idealism and how one person can make a huge impact when they are passionate about a cause
Favorite Book: Maybe not my favorite, but definitely one of the most impactful is Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
Classes
Homeroom
Block 1: AP Environmental Science
Block 2: Biology Honors
Block 3: AP Environmental Science
Block 4: Planning
Teacher
Joey Risso
Extension: 89026
Email: joey.risso@orange.k12.nc.us
College Attended: Appalachian State University
Why I am a Teacher: I wanted to make a difference in the lives of students both in and out of the classroom.
Heroes: My parents are my heroes because they taught me all the skills and life lessons that made the person I am today: compassion, respect, manners, perseverance, hard work, kindness, and determination. I would not be where I am today without their support and guidance.
Favorite Book: The Martian by Andy Weir
Classes
Homeroom
Block 1: Chemistry
Block 2: Chemistry
Block 3: Planning
Block 4: Chemistry Honors
Teacher
Sandy Trinh
Extension: 20403
Email: sandy.trinh@orange.k12.nc.us
College Attended: UNC-Chapel Hill
Why I am a Teacher: I had a great Chemistry teacher who made learning the topic really exciting.
Heroes: My parents. They immigrated to America from Vietnam with no English skills, no friends outside of one other, and 3 kids. They worked minimum wage jobs for years to support our family and worked on opposite schedules so that they didn't have to pay as much for child care, which meant they barely ever saw each other. My parents have made a lot of sacrifices throughout my entire life to make sure my siblings and I had food on the table and knew the value of a good education, hard work, and perseverance.
Favorite Book: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Classes
Homeroom
Block 1: Physical Science
Block 2: Chemistry Honors
Block 3: Chemistry Honors
Block 4: Planning
Teacher
Katie Unrue
Extension: 20401
Email: katherine.unruhe@orange.k12.nc.us
Classes
Homeroom
Block 1: Earth and Environment Science
Block 2: Planning
Block 3: Earth and Environment Science Honors
Block 4: Earth and Environment Science Honors