Soul of 78- Jennifer Watt
Speech Therapist, Jasper High School
Words by Anna Duncan Owens | Image by Justin Hunter
Jennifer Watt doesn’t get in a hurry. At 62, her students refer to her as “the old speech lady” of Jasper High, a title she wears with an easy grin.
Years ago, the rhythm of her days sounded very different. Early in her career, Jennifer moved at a fast pace, racing between schools and managing heavy caseloads. She was always chasing the clock, driven by the pressure to get everything done. Over time, she began to understand the cost of that constant hurry.
“I look back and think about all the blessings I missed because I was in such a rush,” she reflects. “But that’s part of life. It takes time to grow into the version of yourself that slows down and appreciates what’s right in front of you.”
As a speech therapist, Jennifer works with communication in its broadest sense. Her work extends beyond articulation to include social skills, conversation, and self-advocacy. “Communication is abstract and deeply personal. If a student feels there is something wrong with how they speak and the work is rushed without building a relationship, then the work has failed,” she says. “The goal is not to change who a student is, but to understand who they are so they can find their own way to participate.”
Jennifer often reminds her students that difference is part of being human. “It’s not about correcting differences so much as helping you become the best version of yourself,” she tells them.
That philosophy shapes her classroom. Traditional hierarchies fade away as students from the robotics team sit alongside students from self-contained classrooms. “We’re all just people,” she says. “We might communicate a little differently, and that’s all good.”
Jennifer approaches her work with a humanity-first mindset. If a student walks in upset, the speech exercises can wait. “Listening is the priority,” she says. “A student has to feel seen before they can learn.” Sometimes that means the paperwork comes later. “I can’t be constantly writing while the kids are in there,” she explains. “I want to connect with them.”
That focus creates space for humor, which Jennifer sees as essential. “Laughter helps regulate difficult moments, build trust, and meet challenges head-on.”
To help navigate the emotional weight of high school, including mental health struggles, social pressures, and uncertainty, Jennifer relies on collaboration. She credits her village of counselors, fellow teachers, and families, and says they all work together with a shared passion for each student.
One of the most memorable moments of her career came during a parent meeting when Jennifer realized she had been the parents’ speech therapist decades earlier. It was a full-circle moment that affirmed her decision to remain in the classroom “as long as the wheels stay on.”
For Jennifer, being a speech therapist is more than a job title. It is a way of pouring into others. She doesn’t see her days as tasks to get through, but as moments to fully inhabit with her students.
“They have made my life,” she says. 78