Take Five with Julie Reynolds: Horticulture Teacher at Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences

Take Five is a series that highlights members of the CPS community who are going above and beyond for our students. All throughout the 2024–25 school year, we will be spotlighting our amazing CPS teachers! If you know a teacher who is making a difference, nominate them to be featured here.

Meet Julie Reynolds, a horticulture teacher at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences (CHSAS) in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood! Ms. Reynolds—who graduated from CHSAS herself—also teaches dual-credit courses in biology and environmental science.

Located on the last original farm in the city of Chicago, CHSAS students have access to an incredibly unique learning environment. Ms. Reynolds’ dreams of working in horticulture began when she was attending CHSAS herself, as her own high school agriculture teacher had a tremendous influence on her.

Today, Ms. Reynolds teaches students about everything from indoor house plants and floral design to gardening and sustainability. She loves the practical application of her lessons, and her students are able to gain fundamental life and career skills in her classroom.

“Ms. Reynolds is an amazing teacher,” said Joe Halli, CPS’ Manager of Early College Initiatives. “She is enthusiastic and engaging, and her coursework provides her students with not only valuable college credits, but also great career skills.”

Learn more about Ms. Reynolds below!

Why do you like teaching at CHSAS?

I love the fact that nature is my extended classroom. This can be a rare experience for kids who live in a big city. Going outside during class helps students see their lessons in real life, make connections with the earth, and truly understand how important sustainability and green spaces are.

Why are you passionate about agriculture?

Learning about agriculture helps us be more informed consumers. I teach horticulture specifically, and plants are all around us. We use plants to celebrate people's accomplishments, we use plants to improve the value of our homes, and we use plants to eat and sustain ourselves. There's something in agriculture for every student. Even if they don’t pursue a career in it, they're still going to be a consumer. Being literate about what’s involved in making our food, clothing, and shelter is important for everyone. 

How does it benefit students who live in an urban area to study agriculture?

Chicago is an incredibly interesting place for studying agriculture. Our school is located on a farm, so students do get to see part of the production side, but they also get to see what happens to products once they leave a farm. So many agricultural commodities go through the city of Chicago; students get to learn about trade and money and go on field trips to floral shops, garden centers, and agricultural machinery headquarters.

What kinds of career skills are students learning in your classes?

Research is a big one! Students are learning to think like scientists in all of my classes—they learn how to put together experiments and collect data. So students are prepared really well to go into anything in science; biology or medicine are two examples. A new career pathway I’ve noticed in the past 10 years is horticultural therapy. A lot of my students are interested in psychology and social work, and there’s a wonderful way of incorporating plants into therapy. Nature can ground and center us, and it’s a cool way of combining the passion a lot of my students have for plants and their desire to help others.

What do you like doing when you’re not teaching?

I am an avid quilter, I love reading, and I enjoy taking nature walks. My daughter's volleyball schedule also takes up a lot of my time!