Lenape High School’s Christina Mull attended the school she now teaches at and credited former teachers for helping her earn the award.
Lenape Regional High School recently announced that its 2024 Teacher of the Year Award winner is Christina Mull, a geometry and AP calculus teacher and National Honor Society advisor.
Mull has taught for 15 years and is also head coach of the girls’ lacrosse team as well as a cooperative instructor for Rowan University student teachers. Mull approaches each class with endless energy, creative and engaging lessons, patience, support, and a constant positive attitude, the award notes.
Mull grew up in Mount Laurel and attended Lenape High. She then got a bachelor’s in math at Saint Joe’s University and stayed at the college for an extra year to receive her master’s in math education. Mull initially began working at Lenape as an assistant lacrosse coach and also coached girls soccer for five years.
“(Becoming a coach) kind of helped me get back in the door at Lenape,” she recalled.
Mull expressed gratitude for the Teacher of the Year award, noting that two of her fellow nominees were among her own teachers at Lenape and played key roles in her development as a educator.
“It’s a great honor, because there are a lot of other really great teachers that were nominated, especially two of the teachers I had who were very inspirational to me,” she recalled. “To go against them and win, it feels like they’re very deserving, because they helped shape who I am.”
Mull explained that attending Lenape High partly influenced her career choice, as did her parents, who were also teachers.
“My mom was a teacher in Cherry Hill for awhile,” Mull explained. “But I think that by the time I got to Lenape, I really enjoyed learning and I felt that the teachers I had were invested in me as a person and my academics.
“The way that they taught – and how they made me feel while I was learning – kind of pushed me in that direction.”
Mull expressed her belief that maintaining interest and staying devoted to teaching students are crucial ways to connect.
“I think the kids have to know that you’re invested in them,” she remarked. “I try to create a good relationship with them and just keep encouraging them, and letting them know that I care.
“I think that, even the students who believe they’re not good at math, can be helped the more you show that you believe in them,” Mull added. “Their best may not be everyone else’s best, but as long as it’s their best, that’s good enough.”
