The World Language department at Puyallup High School has a new face.

Jennifer Velazquez is the new Spanish II teacher, currently traveling between two rooms every day.

Before coming to PHS, Velazquez was a substitute teacher in the Franklin Pierce School District.

While she began studying Spanish as a junior in high school, Velazquez says she did not always think she was going to be a Spanish teacher.

“I didn’t learn a whole lot [in high school Spanish class] but I loved it. Then I went to college and about halfway through college, I thought I was going to be an architect. I realized ‘I love my Spanish class more than my architecture class,’” Velazquez said.

According to Velazquez, she really began learning Spanish after that realization.

“I decided to study more Spanish and then I went to Mexico and lived there for a semester. I really learned Spanish and I’ve been speaking Spanish fluently for over 20 years,” Velazquez said.

Velazquez says there are a multitude of reasons why she came to PHS.

“I love Spanish; I love learning languages and helping other people learn languages. I just really wanted to work at a place that was close to my home and a schedule that works good for me, where I could work with high school students, teaching them Spanish, because I love it. I want other people to love it too,” Velazquez said.