Chemistry teacher Laurie Rosato never liked science. It wasn’t until she was teaching it that she found her true love for the subject. 

“I’m just happy where I am,” Rosato said. “Chemistry is definitely my favorite.” 

Rosato grew up in Louisiana always knowing she wanted to be a teacher. Her favorite subject was English and that’s what she was set on teaching. The aspiring teacher’s plans were shot down when she was told by some people that there was a higher demand for science and math teachers than English. While Rosato wasn’t fond of either, she decided science was the more favorable of the two. 

“I decided, ‘I don’t like science, I don’t want to teach math, I guess I’ll teach Biology because that’s the least bad of the sciences,’” Rosato said. 

Biology is what Rosato majored in during college, but in order to be certified to teach it she had to take several sciences including Chemistry, which she said she struggled to understand.

Ironically, when she graduated she couldn’t find a job teaching Biology because she found that was every teacher’s preferred science. Instead, she had to start teaching Physical Science. Rosato taught in several schools, most of which were all girls. She also taught many different sciences before she came to Texas. One of the years, while giving a lesson to a class of freshman, it finally clicked in her brain. 

“When I was teaching Physical Science, I was like ‘Oh my god, I understand this. Finally, I understand it!’” she said. “When I had to teach it to these freshmen I understood it, so then I went back and got certified to teach Chemistry.” 

When Rosato moved to Texas in 2014, the first school she found herself at was Kingwood Park. Rosato said she feels lucky at where she first landed, and her students often feel the same.

“What I like about Mrs. Rosato is her enthusiasm,” said junior Reese Shaw, who has had Rosato for two years. “I have her first period and every morning she is up and ready and excited to teach Chemistry. What I really love is that it’s so obvious she actually loves the subject and loves to teach.”

Shaw has even been influenced by Rosato to major in BioChemistry when she goes to college. Knowing that Rosato struggled to like Chem in the beginning was inspirational. 

“I feel it shows that everyone who says they don’t like a certain subject just hasn’t found the right way to appreciate it yet,” Shaw said. 

Rosato said she feels the same way and thinks that people should explore all their possibilities before settling on one particular occupation. 

“Get a feel for a lot of things,” Rosato said. “I always tell my students, stop majoring in something in high school, get your broad base and then go from that.”