Chelsea Cooper is a cornerstone for the new future of University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. While in the English Department, she teaches Media and Communications, Journalism and Advanced Journalism and has worked at UDJ since the fall of 2019. She started off her career in the classroom at Holy Family School in Grand Blanc teaching 5th grade, went to St. Hugo and taught 1st grade, then finally after a hop, skip, and a jump away, she landed here and has stayed. She has impacted all the Cubs that have spent time in her classroom, whether that is a shy, nervous sophomore taking her 21st Century Media Class, or one of her developed pros in Advanced Journalism. No matter who crosses through Cooper’s courses, they are sure to step out of their box, because in the public speaking world, no one is a professional out the gate. But after taking a class with Cooper, anybody would be ready to be a lector all on their own.
My personal experiences with Mrs. Cooper are some of my fondest memories at UDJ. I love everything that I have done here at school, and I have done a lot, but Mrs. Cooper has impacted my future more than anyone during my time here. Starting off in her 21st Century Media class as a sophomore, I wasn’t afraid of talking in front of the class; I like public speaking and the spotlight on me doesn’t give me anxiety unless I am not well prepared. Mrs. Cooper helped me know what to do and made me want to do it. First, when I started her class, she didn’t introduce it like how other classes were introduced. She said it perfectly when I asked her about her reasoning behind why she teaches, saying, ultimately ever since my first-year teaching, I’ve always focused, first of all, building relationships first, because if you have a strong relationship with your students first, the learning and all the things come after that”, and that’s what she did. Mrs. Cooper and I have built a relationship together that I will never let go of. I have taken her classes every chance that I could, and I participate in the Sportscast Club, working with her out of school broadcasting games and advancing my journalistic skills. But that’s not why everyone loves her. She is an amazing teacher and always has a smile when she teaches, but more importantly, she gets to know you and knows what type of student you are. She teaches you skills and makes you want to improve. I am not entirely sure how she does it, if it’s just her fun, uplifting personality or getting closer with the students. Either way, what she does works, and it works well enough, I know, because she was a major reason that I have chosen to continue to study Journalism in college. Her impact on others is drastic and it seems as if it is just another day for her. She sharpens minds and changes lives.
Another student that has taken her classes every year, Danilo Manriquez (25”), is also extremely fond of her. Danilo chooses her teaching over any other teacher’s every time and said, “I have to have an elective of some sort. I’m just gonna start with journalism last year and then advance journalism this year, because it was a class with Mrs. Cooper.” When comparing her class to others he feels if, “someone cares so much about what they are doing, it makes you feel like you should try harder.” That’s what pushes Danilo and others to stick with Mrs. Cooper. Danilo is an Editor in Chief for the Cub News page and works harder than others in Advanced Journalism because of it. Advanced Journalism is a new course that meets every day this year, as it used to be a lunch class twice a week. For Mrs. Cooper, she had to create almost double the workload as the prior one, and no one knew exactly how the class would be run, but she made it happen. Her class is described as one of the most fun classes and according to Danilo, “it’s my favorite class”.
Mrs. Cooper loves what she does, she has been in the journalism sphere since out of college. Always while teaching, Cooper managed other jobs starting with the Energy Squad for the Detroit Tigers, to being an In-Game Host and sideline reporter for Oakland University Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams and at the United Shore Professional Baseball League as their on field reporter. Her impact on my life alone is vast considering I’ve thrown my future on the line because of it, but it was her who made me want to, and there are so many others. Talking to any student at UDJ they know the name Mrs. Cooper. Whether they took her class, are just aware who she is because she’s talked about, or it was the fun lesson or video we shot in class, or the impact I experienced, everyone has great things to say after hearing the name Cooper.
