Preston’s very own history teacher, Ms. Jennifer Connolly, has experienced the atmosphere of Preston High School the way any Preston Panther would. From the graduating class of 92’, Ms. Connolly has had first hand experiences of the many traditions that Preston values. With her mother being an alumna, Ms. Connolly was aware of the tight-knit and compassionate community that she would become a part of, making her high school decision much easier. She enjoyed the meaning of the traditions at Preston such as Junior Ring Night and the Senior Luncheon, and is still proud of empowerment for young girls Preston fosters. When she finally became a member of this Preston community, like most students, she was extremely involved in her extracurricular activities. She was a member of many clubs, such as the Drama club, and the Return to Space Collaborations club. She was also editor of the Yearbook, and played center forward on the soccer team.
After graduating from Preston, she attended the American University in Washington D.C., initially deciding to major in Political Science. However, she soon enough realized that Political Science was not something she enjoyed and made the switch to major in history. When asked whether this meant she would shift her focus to either teaching or the law, her response was simply, “neither!” She wanted to be the next female president. During her time at American University, she volunteered in the mail room at the White House during the presidency of Bill Clinton. In addition to working on his campaign and attending his inauguration, she was lucky enough to also meet him. After graduating from the American University, she found herself teaching at Preston High School for nearly two years. However, she knew that she wanted to continue her studies, so she decided to leave Preston once again to earn her law degree. She worked as a legal analyst for New York City, and was also an attorney/intern in other corporations as she worked to earn her degree. However, while doing so, she began to realize that she missed teaching and returned to Preston. For a total of fourteen years of working at Preston, in addition to being an alumna, Ms. Jennifer Connolly is most certainly considered family to Preston High School, and is greatly appreciated for all that she does.