Hired over the summer, Elishea Reed has begun her first year teaching at West Branch Area High School. Reed teaches a variety of classes, including Biology, Science 9, Wildlife Biology, and Aquatic Biology. While many of her students are underclassmen, her electives also bring upperclassmen into her classroom. Beyond teaching, Reed is also active in school life, helping with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) along with Dave Learish and Sadie Dickson.
Reed is a familiar face to the West Branch community. She graduated from West Branch in 2020 and was the starting catcher on the varsity softball team before continuing her education at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. There, she earned a degree in Chemistry and Physics Education. She continued doing what she loved during her time at Geneva, being a part of their FCA group and playing catcher/outfielder for their softball team. She became a starter her sophomore year and held that role through her senior season, earning Spring PAC Academic Honor Roll honors in both her junior and senior years.
Before returning to West Branch, Reed spent a year teaching at Moshannon Valley Junior/Senior High School. She taught 8th-grade Science and STEM. She also helped coach the junior high softball team while she taught there. The West Branch position became available when Mrs. Rice left following the 2024–2025 school year, opening the door for Reed to return to her alma mater.
Outside of school, Reed enjoys reading and going to sporting events. In her classroom, Reed strives to be compassionate and helpful to all her students, providing them with a safe environment in which to learn. She hopes to positively impact students’ lives and help them succeed in life. Student Kaitlyn Bucha says, “Mrs. Reed is super chill and understanding. She values the fact that her students are still kids, and she doesn’t want to put a lot of pressure on them. She’s very helpful and wants to make sure everyone succeeds in class. She is doing well adjusting to West Branch after moving here from MoValley”.
The West Branch community is excited to have Ms. Reed return to us, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact she will have on her students in the years to come.
