Mistry honored as teacher of the year

For Lata Mistry, teaching biology is about more than just lessons and labs. This year, their dedication to students earned them the Teacher of the Year title after nearly three decades in the classroom. 

“It’s so nice to be recognized for the work I do. Teachers don’t get recognized much, so this means a lot,” said Mistry. 

“Ms. Mistry always makes biotech easier to understand, and you can tell she is really passionate about what she is teaching,” said senior Kara Borromeo, a senior in her biotechnology class. 

Mistry has spent 21 years teaching biology and 27 years teaching biotechnology, stepping away during her 19th and 20th years to work at a biotech company with three of her former students for a year. 

In her free time, Mistry enjoys spending time outdoors walking her dog, hiking, watching sports, and studying the Bible.

The inspiration to become a teacher came from Mistry’s very own high school biology teacher. Throughout college, Mistry worked as a tennis coach and instructor, which helped shape their love for young people. 

What keeps her motivated is learning alongside her students. “I love being with students, experiencing learning through their eyes. I enjoy watching them grow in their understanding of science and even one day seeing themselves in the work world doing science,” she said. “I also love that I get to keep learning. Biotechnology is an ever-changing field, and I genuinely love learning about these new advances.” 

If it weren’t for becoming a teacher, she would have taken a very different career path. With a strong background in tennis, Mistry would have become a tennis instructor and studied the business side of running a tennis or country club.