Celebrando Una Carrera

By Claire Chang, Ariel Lee, and Srihita Madiraju May 20, 2026

After learning Spanish and French during high school and college, Heather Hendry, Foreign Languages Department, embarked on her teaching career, where her experience as a student herself influenced her to empathize with common challenges students face throughout their linguistic journey and thoroughly help others understand linguistic mechanisms. Throughout her 38-year tenure at the school, she has taught various levels of Spanish—ranging from 1/2 to the AP level—as well as French. As her teaching career comes to an end this month, Hendry prepares to enter a well-earned retirement following decades of service to students and colleagues.  

Before coming to the school, Hendry briefly taught at John Muir Middle School for two months. Upon arriving, she recognized the absence of honors programs for foreign languages classes and took the initiative to establish the program, creating a pathway for students to earn credit under the UC system while also integrating the courses into the school’s curriculum. Since then, Hendry has collaborated closely with colleagues within the school’s Foreign Languages Department while maintaining a steady, reliable presence on campus. 

“Señora Hendry has always played a significant role in keeping the curriculum consistent and upholding high standards for quality education, even when we underwent textbook changes. When you talk with her, she zeroes in exactly on what the other person needs or how she can solve a problem effectively. We have collaborated countless times when we conducted full teaching evaluations in two-year cycles, and her insight into the past was very helpful—her guidance has been invaluable,” Heidi Pimentel, Foreign Languages Department, said.

Hendry has developed a teaching style that is grounded in a logical, structured approach, emphasizing comprehension and practical communication skills. Her instructions focused on helping students build a strong linguistic foundation so they could confidently speak and write in the language, rather than simply working toward earning good grades. Known for her consistency and high expectations, Hendry encouraged the other teachers in the department to adopt a similar mindset centered on meaningful learning and student growth. She also fostered a supportive classroom environment through the use of clock partners and seating charts to help students become more comfortable collaborating with one another. 

“Even though I have already completed the course, I still remember how to speak Spanish fluently and appreciate how she helped me see the value in learning a foreign language,” Senior Lucas Liu said.

Beyond daily instruction, Hendry demonstrated her unwavering support for her students by hosting study strategy workshops and providing a plethora of resources tailored to diverse needs and learning styles. To top it off, her dedication to student success was recognized when she won the Teacher of the Year title this year at the school.

“Señora Hendry is a distinguished teacher because she genuinely loves her students so much and truly wants to teach them well. Although she may seem strict, she is one of the nicest and most caring teachers I have ever met. On the day of the AP Spanish exam, she gifted us bags with pens and engraved pencils, as well as snacks to eat,” Junior Avi Parkhe said.

Being the head of the Foreign Languages Department, fellow teachers also remember Hendry for the supportive and collaborative environment she helped create within the department.

“She always took care of the department, as she would always bring cookies and ideas that could be used by different people during our meetings. I will miss her collaboration, consistent care and weekly suggestions the most,” Tomás Blandino, Foreign Languages Department, said. 

As one of Hendry’s closest friends, Roberto Gutierrez, Foreign Languages Department, is often seen walking side by side with her around campus and reminisces on many years of friendship and companionship.

“Señora Hendry is basically a legend. She is an amazing person and friend. While we will stay in touch, I will dearly miss her ideas, working with her and how she would stop by to chat every morning. When I think of honors classes, I will always be grateful for her because she worked very hard to get it started,” Gutierrez said.

Throughout her many years of service at the school, Hendry taught generations of students, including former school principal Peter Park, whom she later had the unique opportunity to work alongside as a colleague—an experience that reflects the lasting impact of her teaching and mentorship.

“I have known Ms. Hendry since I was a freshman student at the school. It was a privilege to have her as my teacher and to work with her as a colleague during my time as principal here. At one point, we were teacher mentors, guiding new teachers together. When I became an administrator, I respected her many years of dedication. Working with her, I often found her to be hilarious, though many people do not know that about her,” Park said.

Similar to Park, the school’s alumna Jeannine Yu describes fond memories she shared with Señora Hendry.

“Señora Hendry encouraged me a lot throughout high school and cares a lot about her students as people. Once, she placed a sticker about tacos on my desk before I walked into class because the sticker reminded her of me, and it really made my day. Another time, she asked me to be her twin for spirit day and we wore silly little propeller hats.  On another occasion, I made a poster asking her to homecoming. Thanks to her, she helped build a lot of the work ethic that I took with me to college,” Yu said.  

Aside from providing comprehensive classroom instruction, Hendry goes above and beyond, incorporating diverse activities for cultural immersion. For example, Hendry recalls that students used to bring in food from different restaurants for a project after AP testing in previous years. Even now, she continues to cultivate cultural understanding, playing music from various musical styles from Spanish-speaking countries and encouraging her students to broaden their perspective on society.

As she prepares for retirement, Hendry plans to travel the world, learn how to paint, try making ceramics and go on what she jokingly dubbed a “senior trip”—she dreams of taking her mother on the Danube cruise in Eastern Europe. Depending on where else she wants to travel, she may also consider picking up another language.

“Although I will not miss the weekly Monday meetings and paperwork, I will always cherish working with students during tutorial. I will also miss my former students who come back from spring break to visit me, as I feel extremely rewarded when they tell me that they got to speak Spanish on a trip. Teaching has been a very fulfilling career because learning a foreign language is a gift that I have always wanted to bestow upon my students,” Hendry said. 

Beyond the gift of language, Hendry has made countless invaluable contributions—spearheading the honors program in which hundreds of students are enrolled in today, collaborating with teachers and guiding students towards greater cultural awareness—that continue to shape the school’s community today. Her legacy will be well remembered, and forever appreciated not only by students but by everyone who has crossed paths with her. ¡Que tenga un buen camino por el resto de su vida!

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About the Contributors

Claire Chang

Editor In Chief

Claire Chang is a senior at Leland High School and the Front Page, Lifestyle and Sports Editor-in-Chief for The Charger Account. When not attempting DIY projects from YouTube, she can be found working out, speaking in Spanish, hiking with friends or vibing to BTS.

Ariel Lee

Page Editor

Ariel Lee is a junior at Leland High School and the School News and Last Word Page Editor for The Charger Account. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and shows, hanging out with friends, and eating new foods.

Srihita Madiraju

Staff Writer

Srihita Madiraju is a senior at Leland High School and a staff writer for The Charger Account. When she isn't busy lifeguarding she loves going to the beach with her friends, going on long walks, and reading.