This year FHN will welcome back a former student teacher, but now as a Chemistry teacher, to the FHN Community. Kyle O’Keefe is the new teacher for General Chemistry and Physical Science. He is also the new Assistant Director for Drama, who will be in charge of the crew behind the shows. He was a student teacher for Chemistry teacher Donna Malkmus last year, he studied biology and later chemistry at Southeast Missouri State University.

“I met O’Keefe starting my second semester of my junior year,” senior Haley Peer said. “He was nice and had really good intentions for the class.”

While studying at college as a biology major, he found himself helping out his fellow floor mates in their chemistry class and decided to change his major to chemistry education. He always had a passion for chemistry and enjoyed learning it in high school.

“I decided to work at FHN, because this is where I student taught,” O’Keefe said. “It was my home for an entire semester. I really didn’t want to leave here, because I love it too much.”

O’Keefe was part of the drama club in high school at Francis Howell Central and plans to continue to contribute to theatre by helping out as Assistant Director to the FHN Masque Players this year. He has experience from his four years in high school theatre, working behind the scenes and working on make-up and costumes for actors. One of his favorite shows was Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story recently performed at the Muny.

“I think he is going to do a great job,” Peer said. “He has a flair for the dramatic that is valuable to the troupe and he is just goofy enough to be able to communicate with us well. He’s a cool dude.”