After a 54-year career, beginning in January of 1969, Jeffery Lucker, a social studies teacher at PHS, will retire on February 1, 2023. His time at the school contributing to educational progress will undoubtedly leave behind a significant impact on students and teachers alike.

With a teacher as experienced as Lucker, it is easy to assume that teaching was always his passion. While studying at the University of Wisconsin, though, he had many differing interests. However, just as Lucker graduated, the start of the Vietnam War brought with it a military service draft for anybody who was not in a select profession. Given that college students were draft exempt, Lucker had two options: either continue school in pursuit of his Master’s Degree, or go to Vietnam. In the end, he went with the first option, and due to a strong affinity for history and teaching, he decided that education was what he wanted to pursue.

“Sometimes I say, in trying to decide whether to be a cellist or a doctor, I became a teacher. I actually thought of both and then somehow it became teaching,” Lucker said.

After finishing his education and a short stint as a student teacher at a school in Wisconsin, Lucker moved to Princeton, New Jersey, after he was offered a job at PHS. While he had his doubts about the move, he quickly settled into the new position.

“I wanted to stay in Wisconsin, but there was nothing available,” said Lucker. “One day, I got an opening in New Jersey, and it was for mid-year… I felt like I was doing what I was meant to do.”

As a teacher, Lucker frequently draws upon his own experiences as a child in the New York public school system. He believes that the privilege of having good teachers in his early years allowed him to blossom into the accomplished educator he is now, and he hopes to be a similar role model for his students.

“When I was in high school, we had really good teachers, so they were good role models,” said Lucker. “One of [my] teachers was teaching in the aftermath of the Second World War. They [had] gone through the cost of college on the G.I. Bill, and they had gone to City College, which was called the poor man's Harvard at the time.”

Interactions with students is another factor that compelled Lucker to keep teaching, and he believes that keeping his students engaged in his class is extremely important. Lucker’s classes often consist mostly of student-driven discussions in which students are prompted to form their own thoughts and opinions about the content that they are learning. In addition, he accomplishes this goal by keeping his classes up to date with current events. Lucker hopes that they take away both an increased knowledge of history and a love for the subject as well

“I think that if you're a teacher, it's one of the best ways to learn something. [In] addition to enjoying the interaction with students, I enjoy preparing for class because I read and I try to keep my classes up to date [by looking] at new articles and new materials,” Lucker said.

Lucker’s emphasis on promoting student engagement and also preparing interesting lessons does not go unnoticed by his students. Kush Sharad ’24, a student in Lucker’s AP World History and Cultures class, especially appreciates how much variety there is in his lessons from day to day.

“I like how he teaches in a lot of different ways, using videos, texts, and articles, not just one type like some of my other teachers,” Sharad said.

Lucker’s classes often consist mostly of student driven discussions in which students are prompted to form their own thoughts and opinions about the content that they are learning. In keeping his students engaged, Lucker hopes that they take away both an increased knowledge of History and a love for the subject as well.

“I think it's important for everybody to understand history…because history is our memory and you need memory in order to survive,” said Lucker. “It's a way of finding out who you are, and where you came from, both as a country [and] as a people. It's a way of understanding the world better and appreciating [it]. Our present lives [are] products of the past.”

Along with his lesson planning, Lucker’s vibrant personality is another thing which many students like about him. He constantly demonstrates his passion for his subject, making it hard for many not to enjoy his class.

“Mr. Lucker is a really interesting person which makes him stand out from just being a good teacher… I feel that there are definitely some great takeaways from this class both from him and the subject,” said Edward Cao ’24, another student in one of Lucker’s AP World History and Cultures classes.

Following his retirement, Lucker hopes to pursue his other interests such as running and going to the gym. He is also planning on continuing to learn more about history, auditing courses at Rutgers, and taking classes at the Evergreen Forum in Princeton. Possibly what he looks forward to the most though are his plans to travel to Europe, specifically Malta.

Lucker’s dedication to teaching has inspired countless students. As he moves on, one thing will be certain: his legacy will always remain at PHS.