Abby Connolly
The recent news of the shooting at the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis is absolutely devastating.
For those who may not know, on Monday, October 24th, a 19-year-old gunman and former student of the school entered the building and began firing gunshots.
During the shooting, 7 people were injured, and two were killed. One of those two people was 61-year-old health teacher Jean Kuczka.
“I cannot imagine myself in any other career but teaching,” wrote Jean in her biography on the high school’s website. “I love teaching Health and Physical Education and guiding students to make wise decisions.”
Jean had been teaching at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School for 14 years and taught physical education at a few schools prior.
Before becoming a teacher, she attended Lindbergh High School and fell in love with playing field hockey.
She carried that passion with her to Missouri State, where she received a field hockey scholarship and made it onto their 1979 National Championship team.
Jean was married to her husband Steve, was a mother to five children, and a grandmother to seven grandchildren. Besides her sweet family, Jean was extremely loved by members of her community.
Obituary photo; pictured above is Jean
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