Jenna Eastman, a City High social studies teacher, recently attended the Iowa Council for the Social Studies’ 2025 conference. There, she was recognized with the Helen Finken award, which is given to teachers who have shown a strong commitment to teaching social studies in the first three years of their career.
“I felt very honored with Helen Finken’s connection to City High and learning about how much she’s influenced my mentors here at City High,” Eastman said. “That meant a lot to me, and also just to be recognized by people across the state of Iowa, it just made me feel very honored and lucky.”
At the conference, Eastman attended and gave presentations about social studies curricula, and to any aspiring teacher, she recommends going to events like these.
“My advice would be to take advantage of as many classes and professional development opportunities as you can,” Eastman said. “Really focus in on what you want your classroom to look like and the skills you want to teach your students, and also know that you are making a big impact on the people around you.”
Just because someone makes a big impact doesn’t necessarily mean they make a good impact, but Eastman’s colleague and co-mock trial coach, Jason Schumann, says she does just that.
“She works tirelessly on behalf of every one of her students, ensuring their success and their learning and trying to make class fun and exciting and engaging. The other day, she had a trench warfare simulation going on,” Jason Schumann, a colleague of Eastman, said. “I could hear hooting and hollering coming out of her class, which is always a good sign. You always want students to have lessons that are active and engaging…those kinds of lessons take a lot of energy as well into her craft, to her profession.”
Though Eastman is now being professionally recognized for her skills as a social studies teacher, at first, she wanted to become a lawyer, not a teacher. Through her continued education, however, she changed her mind.
“I got into teaching social studies by attending the University of Iowa. I originally went in as a business major,” Eastman said. “I thought I was going to go to law school, and I quickly realized…[though] I love teaching mock trial, and I love mock trial, I don’t want to be a lawyer, and I have a passion for history and education.”
