In the corner of room 213, across the science office, you can spot a small wooden staircase perched aside the window. Walk up, and you’ll find a cozy space decorated with awards, quotes, photographs and gifts from former students. This is the working space of one of North High’s most storied and beloved teachers, retiring next year: Jodi Kahn.

Born and raised in the South Shore of Long Island, Kahn attended Lawrence High School, where she was involved with the school newspaper and community theatre. She intended to pursue these interests as a career, and began studying Journalism at Emerson College and getting her master’s degree at NYU. Meanwhile, she took on professional acting roles, appearing in soap operas and even in an episode of Law and Order.

In a stroke of luck, working in corporate communications while getting her degree, Kahn happened to meet a member of the New York City Board of Education. She ended up in an education television program in the city—and it was in that position, in a classroom, that she fell in love with teaching.

Kahn came to Great Neck for the first time in 1995 after teaching for four years in the Bronx. Beginning as a reading specialist at South Middle, she recalls coming in for the entire day despite being employed part-time due to her love for the profession and community.

“Getting a job in Great Neck was a gift,” Kahn said.

She became an English teacher at South Middle for ten years before transferring to North High. Here, she continued teaching English for ten more years before becoming chair of the Study Skills department—a move she cited as her taking an opportunity for a leadership role.

Kahn maintains close relationships with many of her former students. She emphasizes that despite the importance of education, academia is not necessarily predictive of a student’s future trajectory.

“The truth is, you don’t know what a student will do when they grow up, and they don’t either!”

Kahn herself exemplifies this thesis, an aspiring journalist-turned-teacher. But, that’s not to say she didn’t fulfill her childhood dreams—besides being a multiple-time class advisor, one of her major roles at North High was overseeing our school paper, Guide Post.

During her time with the paper from 2005 to 2015, she started the annual tradition of the Guide Post Gala, where students socialize, feast and exchange gifts—her personal favorite gift: a made-up front page where each article was about herself!

Her biggest achievement as the advisor, though, was directing the creation of Guide Post’s 2015 special edition. A magazine commissioned by the district to celebrate 200 years of its history, it spanned from 1929 to the then-present day and includes snippets of former Guide Post editions, alumni interviews, and then-current events. From advertisements for ice cream shops on Middle Neck Road in the 1940s to interviews with alumni, some high school sweethearts of over half a century or Nobel Prize Winners, NBA players and famous directors(including Francis Coppola, famous director of The Godfather), flipping through its pages, one is afforded a surreal, intimate look at the history of our school, town, and the world—a proper tribute to our storied past.

Outside of school, Kahn practices the Japanese alternative medicine technique of Reiki. Reiki is a form of energy healing—practitioners, according to her, act as “conduits” to balance qi, a universal energy or life force that is believed to have therapeutic qualities.

“It was introduced to me by a friend who did it for me, and it was highly helpful,” she said. “I wanted to bring others the same therapy.”

Reiki is just one facet of the volunteering Kahn dedicates much of her time to. She teaches courses in education, meditation and wellness to members of the community. And, besides being a runner herself, she volunteers at marathons with the New York Road Runners, most recently at the New York City Marathon.

“When you give yourself through volunteering, it has the function of taking you out of yourself as well, and you can meet a lot of interesting people,” she said. “Especially when I work with cancer patients, it really puts things into perspective for me, and seeing them keep positive attitudes despite their struggles inspires me.”