When Elizabeth Smith, Trevor Corry, and Cathy Kohnen talk about their first year at Salem Community High School, their stories begin in very different places. Yet together, their voices form a kind of harmony—three distinct paths converging on one shared commitment: relationships, resilience, and Wildcat pride.

For Elizabeth Smith, the journey to teaching was anything but straight. With a degree in agricultural business, she spent years at home raising her three children before working as a secretary in a school office. The more she immersed herself in the rhythms of a school day—managing paperwork, talking to kids who landed in the office, even serving in the kitchen or as a paraprofessional—the more she felt drawn to the classroom. “I wanted my kids’ schedule at first,” she admits. “But then I realized how much I loved being part of a school. I thought, maybe I could help more in the classroom.” 

With encouragement from colleagues, she returned to school herself, earned her license during COVID, and never looked back. Now she leads Salem’s life skills program, teaching students through hands-on community engagement like weekly trips to the food pantry. “Why not?” she says, echoing the motto Superintendent Dr. Detering encouraged for her class. “Why not try something new, take them out, and show them life in real time?”

Trevor Corry knew much earlier that teaching was his calling. Family members had modeled the profession, but it was coaches and teachers—especially Carrie Toth, now a fellow Salem faculty member—who cemented his decision. “She made class fun, interactive, and meaningful,” he recalls. A standout moment came after his senior year, when he helped coach his high school football team. “That’s when I knew,” he said. “I liked working with kids that age, helping them get better at things.” At Salem Community High School, he now teaches sophomore and senior English, determined to reach students even when the subject isn’t their favorite. “Some kids think English is the worst part of their day,” he admits. “But if you show you’re interested in what matters to them, they see you care. That’s when the walls come down.”

For Cathy Kohnen, chemistry seemed like destiny—until it wasn’t. With a degree in chemistry, she began her career as a researcher at the animal disease lab once housed at Kaskaskia College. When the lab closed, she turned to coaching volleyball and discovered how much she loved working with high schoolers. That sparked a new path: a master’s degree in education and a teaching certificate that allowed her to merge science and mentoring. After stints in Mount Vernon, Pinckneyville, and Central High, she arrived at Salem Community High School this fall to teach dual credit chemistry. “My students here are incredibly bright,” she said. “They work hard, and they challenge me every day. That combination is refreshing.”

What unites these three newcomers is not just their love of teaching, but the reception they’ve received in Salem. Kohnen recalls colleagues storing her supplies while the new chemistry lab was under construction. Smith points to the faculty “fan club” that shows up at athletic events, creating bonds between teachers, students, and community. Corry emphasizes the support from administrators and fellow teachers, saying, “From Dr. D on down, everyone here has been vocal about helping me. That surprised me in the best way.”

Each also brings a sense of humility. Smith laughs about her students serving grilled cheese sandwiches to Principal Clint Wolfe—cheese slapped straight from a hand to the bread—and his willingness to eat it with a smile. “They were so proud to serve him, and he showed them respect by enjoying it,” she says.

Together, their stories reflect what makes Salem Community High School unique: tradition grounded in hard work, a community that shows up for its students, and a staff culture that thrives on relationships first. “It’s about character more than one defining thing,” Smith said. “This place just has good, hardworking people.”

For the Wildcats, that combination—bright students, caring teachers, and a community that invests in both—creates something special. And in their first year, Elizabeth Smith, Trevor Corry, and Cathy Kohnen are proving that harmony isn’t just for the band room. It’s alive in the classroom, too.