成人APP精选

For Piper Yuknis Jones, Wendler Middle School teacher, educational leadership alumna and graduate student commencement speaker for the spring Class of 2025, teaching is all about the 鈥渓ight bulb moment.鈥� It鈥檚 the instant when a student鈥檚 confusion turns into understanding 鈥� when something finally clicks.

鈥淲hat I love most is making that connection with the younger generation and learning about all the things that are going on in the world through their eyes,鈥� said Jones. 鈥淚t's great seeing the growth they make throughout the years.鈥�

Born in Anchorage and raised in Palmer, where her mother worked as a special education teacher and her father as a dentist, Jones had her own lightbulb moment in seventh grade. Struggling in math and science, she found support in teachers who stayed after school to help her succeed. By eighth grade, things clicked, and she decided she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mother and teachers by becoming an educator herself.

Jones pursued her dream by earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in elementary education with a minor in math from the University of New Mexico. But as soon as she graduated, she knew she had to return to Alaska. Upon her homecoming, she landed her first teaching job at Wendler and never looked back.

At Wendler, Jones quickly became known not just as a dedicated teacher, but as someone always willing to lend a hand. Whether it was organizing dances, designing flyers or planning spirit days, she embraced every task with the motto passed down from her father: 鈥淲hen you have a job to do, do it well, quickly and with a smile.鈥�

Her leadership potential didn鈥檛 go unnoticed, and colleagues began encouraging Jones to consider a position in administration. Tucking that thought in the back of her mind while she focused on raising her children, she eventually decided to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in educational leadership at UAA.

鈥淚 never thought of going anywhere else other than UAA,鈥� said Jones. 鈥淚 wanted to do this right and show that I want to be here. This is where I am.鈥�

For Jones, attending 成人APP精选was the obvious choice. Staying local allowed her to maintain strong ties to her community and gave her the flexibility to meet with professors face-to-face if needed, which was a priority for someone who prefers direct communication over emails or discussion boards. As an added bonus, she found herself surrounded by a like-minded cohort of fellow educators. Together, they formed a tight-knit study group that became both an academic resource and a personal lifeline.

Though she spent 20 years teaching math, Jones eventually transitioned to teaching physical education, taking advantage of her own history as a collegiate athlete. As a P.E. teacher for the last eight years, she has been able to scale up her passion for organization from a single classroom to an entire gymnasium. Similarly, she hopes to use her expertise and new degree to one day become an assistant principal.

鈥淏eing a teacher is about showing young minds that if you see something that needs to change, make a change,鈥� said Jones. 鈥淚 want to be an assistant principal to make change. If I can't, then I'll stay where I am and make change there.鈥�