By Cameron Henderson-Cole ’20

THE ROUNDUP

Ms. Cheryl Lenox has announced her departure from Brophy after this academic school year, following 18 years teaching biology.

Ms. Lenox has been teaching science for 35 years and joined the Brophy staff in 2000.

She said that she will be leaving to work in biotechnology, where she will be comparing the DNA sequences of dogs and human in order to improve the lives of both.

Rohit Khurana ’19, who had Ms. Lenox for Honors and AP Biology during his freshman and sophomore years, said he was surprised when he was told she was leaving.

“I was pretty sad about it because she’s influenced me a lot here in my time at Brophy,” said Khurana.

Khurana said Ms. Lenox had furthered his drive to pursue a major involved in science.

Khurana said Ms. Lenox has left a broader impact on the community as well.

“The fact that she does the science fair every year causes students to work out of their comfort zone,” he said.

Ms. Lenox also coaches the Brophy League of Academic Contests, which includes the Science Bowl and Quiz Bowl teams.

Brophy won the state Science Bowl the first year Ms. Lenox took it over and they won again in 2016.

Although she is leaving, Khurana said he is still happy for her future.

“I’m happy that she is pursuing what she wanted to do, she’s going to do really good research,” Khurana said.

Cameron MacKenzie ’19 has also known Ms. Lenox since freshman year, said the science department will be different.

“It’s going to be a big transition period for our whole science department,” MacKenzie said.

MacKenzie is also an editor in the science journal for which Ms. Lenox has been the moderator since the start of the journal in 2016.

A Science Journal is used by schools around the nation, the journal is used to compile new reports and finds so they can be published all in one magazine like book.

Similar to Khurana, MacKenzie said he is happy for Ms. Lenox and the fact that she is pursuing her passion.

MacKenzie also said Ms. Lenox has impacted the lives of students outside of Brophy.

“She’s worked with the Loyola Scholars in Science, so it extends beyond just the highschool aspect,” he said.

A fellow science teacher, Mrs. Patricia Mazier said she has known Ms. Lenox since 2000.

“She’s very dedicated to science and the underdog of the department,” said Mrs. Mazier.

When Mrs. Mazier found out Ms. Lenox was leaving she said she was not surprised.

“Ms. Lenox has another home in Colorado and she is very dedicated to her dogs,” Ms. Lenox said. “She has talked me about the genetics of dogs, which are her two favorite things,” Mrs. Mazier said.

For the Science department and students most importantly, Mrs. Mazier said that Ms. Lenox has made the greatest impact, especially on AP tests.

“She has quite a track record with students passing the AP Biology test,” Mrs. Mazier said.

“Her love of science certainly will be missed.”

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Lenox also participates in many clubs such as the Physician’s Club, which she started in 2010.

“Many of the students in the club do want to go on as doctors,” Mrs. Mazier said.

Mrs. Mazier is also a moderator for the Brophy Science Fair and noticed that most of Ms. Lenox’s students place high.

“The bulk of her students win the awards,” she said. “She sets them up to succeed.”

Ms. Lenox has also helped in SIRT since 2014.

SIRT is the Science Innovation Research team which competes in science-fair type competitions.

“Every year we have students that go on to the national innovation research competitions,” she said.

On her future, Ms. Lenox said that she is hopeful that her work will make a difference and improve the life of others.

“I desire to spend some years working in biotechnology in hopes that I can improve the lives of animals and humans,” she said.

Ms. Lenox will work as the registrar and science adviser of a dog preservation registry.

In addition to this, she will work with fellow scientists in the area of canine genetic sequencing.

Shocking for many, Ms. Lenox said departing Brophy was the toughest decision she has made.

“Leaving will be the hardest thing I have ever done,” she said. “The students and community are a part of who I am.”

However, her departure is not a complete cut off from Brophy, and she said she will return every once and a while.

“I will return to Brophy masses at the chapel and I will stay in touch with the Brophy community,” Ms. Lenox said. “My love for the Brophy community will last forever.”