The Teacher Who is Shaping the Future of Journalism: Ms. Rutter

The Journalism program at Jupiter Middle School gains popularity as every year goes by. But what about the passionate and determined leader who runs the program? Ms. Rutter, arguably one of the best teachers at JMS, runs our Journalism program. She is the one who has contributed the most in one of the most well-known programs here at JMS! In the past few years, she has helped many students gain leadership and journalistic skills. However, that’s not the whole story. There is a lot about Ms. Rutter—from her early life to her outstanding teaching career—that is worth sharing. 

Early Life

Ms. Rutter’s parents moved from India to Texas over fifty years ago and settled right outside of Houston, Texas. As a child, whenever she visited India, it felt very different. She used to see kids her age walking around without their parents. She saw them take buses and rickshaws (a two or three wheeled small vehicle usually used for traveling short distances) alone to go to school. She noticed that everyone there had some independence and children respected their parents. Education and school were also very important for them. Whenever she went there, she never wanted to leave. She thought that there’s so much about other countries which we don’t have here. This was why the idea of visiting India always fascinated her. 

Usually, when people think of Texas, they don’t think it is very diverse. On the contrary, it is a very diverse state, especially the area Ms. Rutter is from— Sugar Land, Texas. “I had people who looked like me everywhere.” Ms. Rutter also mentioned that 30% of the students at her high school were Asian. With so many people around her, she loved learning about people from all backgrounds.

However, she had to soon leave home for the first time because of college. She studied at the University of Texas and moved to Austin. At the time, the University of Texas was the largest university in the country. “I went from a very large high school to a very large university.” Throughout her journey in college, her parents were her greatest support. She stated that for her parents, and herself, education was a top priority. Because she had always loved to write, she knew exactly what to do in college. She didn’t want to do what everyone else who looked like her did, she wanted to do something different, and be something different. That’s when she decided on Journalism. While in college, she interned at local television stations primarily focusing on sports broadcasting.

Career Journey

After college, Ms. Rutter moved to Bristol, Connecticut, to work in the ESPN Headquarters. Although she worked in journalism for 10 years, she always wanted to be a teacher since she was a child. “I used to make my own pretend worksheets when I was a kid and have my mom print them at her job.” For years, people told Ms. Rutter that being a teacher is a lot of work and you don’t get paid enough. However, she always thought that it would be a fun and exciting job to do. 

Her first job as a teacher was when she was a substitute at a school. After a month of being a substitute, she got promoted to an Intensive Reading teacher. At first, she was a little doubtful about being a full-time teacher because she had never taught before. “But I think it was just something I was meant to do, because I felt like it wasn’t hard.” She enjoyed working with kids who struggled with reading and writing. After a few years of being an Intensive Reading teacher, she started teaching English. 

In January of 2021, a teacher at Jupiter Middle had retired, and they were looking for someone to fill in the spot. That’s when Ms. Rutter joined JMS as an English teacher. “It was during the time when we were hybrid, so I had kids on the screen and I had kids in the classroom.” Even though it was a little difficult, she adapted to the change quickly. She worked hard because she didn’t want the students to grow up into people who lacked the ability to read and write coherently. After years of teaching English, Ms. Rutter embraced an opportunity that redefined her career and elevated one of the most renowned programs at Jupiter Middle School. 

The Journalism Program

A few years ago, the Journalism program consisted of just a few classes. When the teacher leading the program left, Ms. Rutter first got the opportunity to teach Journalism and the class was small. Not a lot of people knew about it. In fact, nobody read or even knew about the newspaper the students wrote. When Ms. Rutter saw that, she thought that these students’ hard work should be recognized. So, she decided to make a change. Over the years, the design, the content, and many more features of the newspaper were changed. “The biggest change happened this year when we switched from a google site to a legitimate website.” Such websites, like the one of the current Mariner Messenger, are usually used by high schools. And that website is being run by middle schoolers, which is why it is a big deal. The new website also prepares students who continue Journalism in high school. 

One of the other big changes was the introduction of Digital Journalism in the newspaper. “We have Digital Journalism, where they focus on podcasts and videos and a little more of a digital content.” Although people read the written articles, they also like watching the videos and podcasts that are made by the Journalism 2 class. As much as the articles and stories bring views on the Mariner Messenger, the fun digital content also brings views on the website.

Ms. Rutter has seen a lot of changes every year. Each year is different in the Journalism classroom. Whether it’s introducing new reporters, or assigning leadership roles, Ms. Rutter has experienced it all! Her hard work and dedication also led her to achieve a prestigious recognition. 

The Dwyer Awards Finalist

The Dwyer Awards is an annual program that recognizes the diligence and determination of educators in Palm Beach County. There are four finalists chosen for specific categories based on the criteria. Ms. Rutter is one of the four finalists in the Middle School Education category! As she explained, to get nominated for the Dwyer Awards, teachers have to submit a lengthy application and go for an interview. Right now, the winners are not decided. 

“Whether or not I win, just being a finalist is very hard to get.” She feels very thankful for this recognition. It was all because of her efforts— she deserves it! 

Not only does Ms. Rutter lead a program, but she is also involved in many committees in this school. She works on the professional development team for teachers and also leads the Global Initiative. Ms. Rutter has one goal— to make her students better people. She wants them to leave her room with a sense of confidence in them that they can do what good they want to do. She believes that’s all people need –  somebody who believes that you can do it— and she wants to be that person. Through her commitment, leadership, and care for the people around her, Ms. Rutter receives great respect from the students and staff at Jupiter Middle School. From leading the program, to inspiring students to grow, she pours her full effort in every role she takes. We are so proud to have a teacher like Ms. Rutter at JMS!