Gretchen Henneman ’24

The spark that inspired Gretchen Henneman ’24 to pursue her dream of teaching didn’t start in a classroom; it began on a stage.

As a high school student, she performed in musical productions such as “The Sound of Music” and “Frozen Jr.,” where she found herself drawn to mentoring younger cast members. Helping them learn lines, choreography and stage direction gave her a sense of fulfillment, planting the seeds that would grow into her career in education.

Henneman, a graduate of Pitt-Bradford’s early level education program, is now a second-grade teacher at Washington West Elementary School in Olean, N.Y. Her journey, however, began at Pitt-Bradford and was shaped by years of dedication, hands-on learning, and a passion for making a difference in children’s lives.

At Pitt-Bradford, Henneman seized every opportunity to prepare for the classroom. From student teaching to substitute teaching to immersive field experiences, she gained invaluable insight into the realities of education.

“Substitute teaching was one of the best decisions I made and helped grow my confidence as an educator as I was teaching new material across different grade levels,” she said. “I was also able to experience a variety of teaching styles and ask teachers for questions and advice.”

For Henneman, the many opportunities students have to gain hands-on, practical experience as an educator is a huge benefit of Pitt-Bradford’s education program.

“I believe one of the strongest features of the Pitt-Bradford education department is the amount of field experience time in the classroom students are required to complete,” she said.

These experiences gave Henneman the confidence and skills to step into her own classroom and prepared her for the challenges of being a first-year teacher.

As a teacher, Henneman finds joy in the connections she builds with her students. “Building connections with my students has been incredibly rewarding,” she said. “I feel so excited when they reach their goals, and I’m honored that they want to share their accomplishments with me.”

One particularly touching moment reaffirmed Henneman’s love of teaching—a simple message left on the classroom whiteboard when she was absent one day: “We miss you, Miss Henneman. Love, the class.” Small gestures like this remind her why she chose this path.

“Sometimes it is the little things that make you smile or that remind you why you chose the field that you did.”

Outside the classroom, Henneman is a passionate advocate for arts education. As the founder of Tiny Town Theatre and the former USOA Miss Pennsylvania 2022, she has used her platform to promote the importance of creative expression in children’s development.

“The crown gave me a microphone to advocate for what I believed in,” she said. “And while I advocated for many causes, arts education was my personal platform.”

Henneman is also the youngest board member of Bradford Little Theatre, where she works to improve arts in the community, plans productions, runs shows and fundraisers, and volunteers for the Bradford Little Theatre Kids Camp, which allows her to use the arts to educate and enrich the lives of children in the community.

“I believe the arts shaped me into who I am today, and I will continue to advocate for the arts because I believe our youth deserve the same opportunity,” she said.

Henneman plans to continue growing as an educator, pursuing a master’s degree, and refining her teaching methods. Her goal is to instill independence in her students.

“I want my students to grow into strong readers and problem-solvers while also understanding the power of kindness and leadership.”