Ryan Wernquist

Eighth Grade American History, Asst. US Football Coach, Asst. US Baseball Coach

Ryan Wernquist is in his second year at USJ. A 2009 graduate of Maryville College, he has a B.A. in History with teacher education. His goal, he says, "is for all students to realize their potential and to strive for it."

Email Ryan Wernquist

New teacher brings creative learning into the classroom

From a song with facts about the presidents to dancing your way through the Neolithic Revolution to creating your own currency, first-year teacher Ryan Wernquist is putting a new twist to learning history.

“Coach Wernquist helps us learn by making it more exciting and fun,” said Eighth Grader Mattie Boyd. “He reinforces what we are learning in lots of creative ways so that we can remember facts and details much easier.”

Being a teacher runs in the Wernquist family; his twin brother and his sister are both math teachers. He excelled in math in high school and first thought he would be an accountant like his father, but it was his love of history and his admiration for a chemistry teacher who made learning fun that determined his path.

“I knew I wanted to be like that teacher and give back to the kids,” said Wernquist, who has a degree in secondary education and history from Maryville College. “I was doing student teaching at Alcoa High School when I heard of the opening at USJ.”

“For my first year teaching, I could not have asked for a better job,” said Wernquist, who is settling into Jackson. “The kids are terrific, and the administration is so supportive. They have given me everything I have needed to get started and the freedom to teach as I want.”

Wernquist teaches Eighth Grade American History and Freshman World History and also is an assistant football and baseball coach. “Being younger, I think I bring new things to the classroom that the kids identify with,” he said.