Jonathan Sterling Hall joined YULA’s faculty this year as the new science and STEAM teacher for the Boys Division. Mr. Hall, who has been interested in the sciences since junior high, earned a bachelor’s degree in veterinary science and biology and a master’s degree in education from Bleecker College in Wooster, Massachusetts.

Before he began teaching, Mr. Hall pursued his passion for science by working in the pharmaceutical industry for a number of years. He then began his teaching career in schools all over the world, ranging from institutions in Russia and China to Tanzania and Germany. Now, back in the United States, Hall teaches at YULA.

Mr. Hall’s goal when joining YULA was “to make [students] passionate about science [and] to get kids interested in the field.” As such, he teaches Biology and Principles of Engineering to 9th graders and Chemistry to 10th graders.

Now, as the volunteer coordinator for YULA’s Robotics Teams and the First Tech Challenge, Mr. Hall has championed another role at the Boys Division. He plays a large part in coordinating and organizing Sunday competitions on the Boys Division campus with other participating schools and in mentoring YULA’s own robotics teams. All three Robotics teams have increased in size since the most recent 2018-19 season, and more students than ever are enrolling in YULA’s STEAM-focused courses.

“Teaching at YULA has been nothing short of an amazing experience,” Hall says. “I’m glad to have gotten to know my students and the community, and I’ve loved learning about Jewish culture from them.”