Jennifer Schwandt

Q: Please tell us a little bit about your origin story. Share a little about your childhood and your family.
I am married with two kids, three if you count my husband, too many cats, and a love of the Harry Potter series! I love music – I used to sing in a choir and loved it. I love taking pictures, reading – mostly young adult fiction – traveling, exploring, learning new things, flowers, dogs, snow on the mountains, crafting, baking, and my happy place is the beach. I am grateful to have my brilliant and outdoor-loving husband, and two kids that have changed the way I see the world, for the better. When I was growing up in the neighborhood that I live in now, I always found myself to be the social butterfly of the neighborhood. I knew the people, the houses, and their stories. My Mom and Gramma raised me. After school, I would go to a neighbor’s house until my mom came home from work. There were many kids in the neighborhood that I played with, and I rode my bike all over the place. Even though many years have passed and the families in my neighborhood have changed, I am grateful to have this place to call home.

Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
When I was growing up, I wanted to be a teacher. My Aunt was a teacher for over 25 years, including working in Monrovia. She would bring me to her class when we had different spring breaks, and I would work with her Kindergartners. I fell in love with seeing the kids learn and enjoy learning. Now, after many years of substitute teaching, I am a 6th grade Science and Math teacher for Fontana Unified School District. I have been there for seven years, and I love it. Middle school students are awesome, and I am so blessed to be able to help these kids make it through an awkward year and teach them content and life skills.

Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
A long-standing tradition with my family was to go to The Monrovian, or as we called it, “the Pancake store,” the night before school started. We would have breakfast for dinner and enjoy family time. We did this until the pandemic struck. Now the places on Myrtle that I enjoy are Jake’s Roadhouse for a yummy cheeseburger and onion rings, or the delicious chicken cobb salad – YUM! They also have the BEST lemon-raspberry pancakes I’ve ever had. Those are a Sunday morning treat when my husband and I sneak out for a morning date! I have also found some delicious items at Mikomi Sushi. I don’t eat fish, but their tempura veggies and teriyaki chicken plate are wonderful! I only discovered this when I took my son Nathan out for lunch at his choice in town. Now we head there when we take out family and friends that come to visit.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community? Tell us about your favorite memory or experience living in Monrovia.
There were a lot of older kids in the neighborhood that I would play with, and we had a bunch of crazy adventures. On the corner of Ivy and Foothill was the Canyon Crest Theater, which is now gone. There used to be a California Craftsman Bungalow on the East side of the street just south of the apartments that are the first residence now. Well, the kids that lived in that white craftsman, now gone, were Chris and Darrel. Their dad had strung up parking lot lights inside the theater – they ran the electricity from their house, so we would play in the theater which was long abandoned. It was around Halloween, and Chris and Darrel’s Dad would tease us and tell us stories about the Wolfman, and as kids we thought he was serious. We were headed to the theater to play and saw giant muddy paw prints in the dirt driveway, and dried muddy claw marks on the back door. It scared us, but we went into the theater to play anyway. Darrel had turned on the lights, and we were ready for fun. I don’t remember what game we were playing, but we were running up and down the aisles and across the small stage. Then out of nowhere, the lights went off, and the only light that was coming into the theater was some indirect light from the backdoor that was propped open. A panic ran through us, and then we heard a low growling. There was a scratching sound coming from the back of the theater, too. As we tried to see in the dark, a spotlight popped on, and the Wolfman was standing on the balcony roaring at us! We ran for the open door, which suddenly closed, screaming all the way. Pushing the door open, we ran so fast up the street to flee the Wolfman. He chased after us, but we ran into a neighbor’s house for protection. After a bit, we decided to see if the coast was clear, so we headed to Chris and Darrel’s to tell his Dad what had happened. His uncle was in the kitchen when we walked in, and he and Chris’s dad were laughing so hard. He pulled the mask from behind his back while laughing and threw it at us.

As with all of my adventures, I was with the older kids, who found it necessary to get me involved with their shenanigans. One of the houses across the street used to have an area behind an added part of the kitchen where the trashcans were stored. The older kids had moved the trashcans and that’s where we were positioned. We could not see the street directly, nor could we be seen. I was in charge of holding the fishing pole with the line attached to it. Before we headed out to play, what we called it back in the day, one of the grandkids took one of the dress-up purses and stuffed it with newspaper. The boys also added some small rocks for weight and tied it to the end of fishing pole. Back to where we were hiding, the purse laid in the street looking as if it had been dropped. We waited. We weren’t there long, when a car came to a screeching halt. The boys took the fishing rod and waited for the door of the car to close, and then slowly started turning the reel, dragging the purse towards the house. The driver then chased the purse until it was in the driveway, realizing it was a prank, returned to the car and drove away. I stayed behind the house for a bit before resuming riding my bike to watch the action. There were so many fun times like that during my childhood!

Q: None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person you’ve met here in our community who helped you get to where you are or inspired you?
Being a lifelong resident, I have met many interesting and inspiring people. After much reflection, I am grateful to have met all of them, and grateful for the lessons or wisdom imparted upon me. My sixth-grade social studies teacher at Clifton, Mr. Don Dagne, taught me that it was okay to be an individual. A teacher at Monroe at the time, later to be the Principal at Wild Rose School, Mrs. Stacy Ayers, reminded me that I am an effective teacher, and I was needed to serve our students. My neighbor, who has long passed, Grayce Sherman, taught me to be accountable to those around me that I valued. Mary Wilcox, the Sizzler lady, taught me to always be kind and have a smile for someone. Mr. Damon Shay, a brilliant teacher at Monroe & Wild Rose before he retired, taught me that I could be exactly the person I want to be, with determination and a sense of humor.

The person that I met in Monrovia that inspired me the most was Marguerite Lambrinos, my son’s first and second grade teacher. I was finishing my credential work and I volunteered in the classroom as often as I could. Mrs. Lambrinos allowed me to teach a lesson here and there and work with the kids. It wasn’t until after she retired, that we really bonded. During her fight against breast cancer, I would take her to her doctor appointments and be her support system. We learned a lot about each other, and she taught me how to meditate, slow down, and think. Her story is a remarkable one – she wrote a book called “Leaving” by Marguerite Morris. She has been the best inspiration for me and continues to be such a lovely mermaid sister.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
So many possibilities, but I would say Australia. I would like to go for a few weeks and travel around the continent to explore. I have seen so many pictures and read books, and I want to go! My husband and I just spent 14 days in Italy and Greece on a cruise to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. It was an incredible excursion, and we are ready to go somewhere else new and exciting.

Q: What is one of your favorite movies of all time? Do you have a favorite TV show or shows?
I have so many favorites, but the one that I will watch if I see that it’s on is “The Shawshank Redemption.” Something about the chemistry of the characters and the escape is executed so well. Of course, the narration is classic. On the lighter side, I love “Ever After” with Drew Barrymore. It’s a charming Cinderella story with a beautiful score. As for TV, I’ve always loved Grey’s Anatomy, Castle, and The Mentalist. I am fascinated by crime documentaries, to see how the police and FBI solve crimes.

Q: What advice would you give to people? Do you have a Life Lesson quote?
Be yourself no matter what other people might think of you. Their opinion of you is none of your business. I had to convince myself of this, and now I live it. I also tell my students that they need to be kind humans always. My three rules to a successful life:
1. Be a good person
2. Participate in the world
3. Give back.
Those three rules can be a challenge at times, but that’s what I tell my own children.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
My bucket list has a lot of adventures on it, but one that I really hope to try is to scuba dive in the Silfra Fissure in Iceland. An acquaintance of mine took an excursion there and shared her underwater pictures. Being a mermaid, I am excited to explore this mystical place.

Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what music to listen to?
Music is an integral part of my life. I started playing the piano when I was five, and later joined the choir at Clifton Middle School. I have many favorite artists for each of my moods. One group that I tend to gravitate to is Muse. They are a mixture of hard rock, classical, and brilliant lyrics.

Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
My favorite Monrovia shop of all time is a tiny shop that got its start on Colorado Blvd called Pilgrim’s Pottery. It was the very last shop, where the Saltner is now. They had a collection of stickers, stationary, toys, cards and gifts. I don’t recall the name of the woman who co-owned it, but I do remember the gentleman’s name was Pat. They were a great team and curated my childhood wonderland. The store was covered with unique items and green plants. I would earn money and ask to go on the weekends to buy stickers, which was the rage when I was in school. They were 10 cents each or twelve for $1. I would buy my twelve stickers for $1.07, what a bargain. When they moved onto Myrtle, they expanded their selection and their store. They built a railroad track on pillars near the ceiling of the store, and it would go around the track all day long. I always thought it was good luck to be under the track when the train passed. For a kid, this store was a wonderland, and I loved it until the day it closed.

Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative, with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
This one took a while to think about, but I would have to say Steve Martin. Many years ago when I was at Clifton, a friend and I were studying at the library. We headed to Pilgrims that was on Colorado, and we were walking on the west side of Myrtle. There was a film crew, and I later learned that they were filming “Father of the Bride.” I was carrying a bunch of library books and talking to my friend, not paying attention, and I ran right into Steve Martin! I dropped the books on the ground, and Mr. Martin helped me pick them up. I was picking up the books and apologizing for running into him, and I had no idea who I was speaking to. When I looked up and saw who it was, I was so embarrassed. He was very kind and sweet and sent us off with a smile. Since then, I have enjoyed his work, and often thought about his life as a comedian. I think it would be a hoot to meet him. Of course, we would have to eat at either Jake’s or Mikomi Sushi.

Q: What is your favorite thing about Monrovia or something unique about our community that you like?
Monrovia is like its own little world. We have everything here – a great community, schools, parks, and our own getaway at Monrovia Canyon Park. We are fortunate enough to be an hour away from the beach or the snow in the mountains. My favorite thing about Monrovia is difficult to say. I grew up here, and as a child, the babysitter would take all of her grandkids, the neighbor kids, and me up to Canyon Park in the summertime. We would run ahead of Gramma Sherman to get up to the waterfall and pool. At that time in the late 70s and early 80s, the canyon had a large “swimming pool” that the waterfall dropped into. The older kids would climb the rocks and jump off the top of the waterfall into the pool. We would swim up there for hours. When we got hungry, we would head back to the car or race down to the picnic area before the white bridge. If Gramma Sherman wasn’t there yet, we would walk up to the gravestones. We would meet her at the picnic bench and eat. We would then play in the stream and slide down on the large flat stones that felt like a driveway slant.

My other most fond memory is going to downtown Monrovia. I watched the transformation of the street into the traffic pattern it is today. There were many dress shops and clothing stores that my Gramma would take me with her when she would shop. Her favorite store was Caroline’s. It had a variety of blouses, pants, and dresses. They even had a hat selection to match the dresses. The ladies were very attentive and sweet. They had a basement that they would keep inventory in and bring things up that were new. Once she selected a dress for church, we would walk further south on the east side of the street and go to Florsheim shoes. My gramma always insisted that I get my shoes there. There was also a department store on the northwest corner of Lemon and Myrtle that had everything. It also had a downstairs where the housewares and the toys were. My Mom and Gramma would shop upstairs, and I would be happily shopping in the toy department. I loved the stores on Myrtle because they were family friendly, and being an only child, they let me look around and shop.

Q: Sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you’ve ever made?
I have made so many mistakes in my life, but there is not one that stands out as being funny. Some end in injury, some end in messes, some end in laughter. The only thing I can think of is that I have learned from them, and if I haven’t, then I hope I don’t repeat any of the ones that lead to injury or destruction.

Q: Even for friends or family, what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
When I was about eleven years old, I had a neighbor that had a lot of old trinkets that I thought they were incredible. I wanted to have things like that as well, so I started exploring thrift stores. On east Olive Avenue, there was a large store called the Monrovia Thrift Store. The lady that ran it knew me. I would go there at least once a month while I was shopping along Myrtle. I love thrift store shopping! I have found books, antiques, housewares, and even clothing. I don’t thrift for just one thing, but when I find something I like, I put it in the cart and consider it before buying. It’s a fun little hobby. I don’t resale like some people, I just enjoy looking at everything. I have filled my classroom library with book purchased at thrift stores and yard sales. It’s like glimpsing the past and then making it a part of your own future!

Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
I have had the opportunity to visit many places on the planet, and it is difficult to pinpoint just one. On a trip my family surprised me with, we went to Molokini in Hawaii to go snorkeling. The open crater in the ocean was inhabited by thousands of colorful fish. I was amazed. Hawaii, in general is full of colors, an incredible display of nature. Perhaps the most beautiful place I’ve been that is a manmade phenomenon, the Eifel Tower in Paris, France. Being at the top of the tower looking over Paris and all of the sparkling lights is a striking site.

Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I have many personal achievements, like having a wonderful husband to help raise our kids and maintain our home. However, I would probably say that it was earning my Master’s Degree during the pandemic when we were all stuck at home. I was teaching full-time at a new grade level, so I had new curriculum for both math and science. It was a lot of prep and planning. I would be online from 7:00 am until 3:15 pm for work. Then I would meet with another teacher to prep and plan for about three hours a night online. Then I would do my schoolwork for my online classes until midnight. The pandemic was a rough year of being constantly online and working a lot. I was also helping a friend who lived in Port Hueneme, who is older, and not going out to get groceries and supplies because of Covid. I was driving up to see here every two to three weeks to bring her groceries and supplies. I would bring my laptop and get schoolwork done while I was there. When I finally finished my last class in January 2021, I was so relieved. I did it!

Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A beautiful day at the beach, swimming in the waves and enjoying being one with nature. Then watching the sunset from the shore over the waves while enjoying a warm meal.

Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My Mom and my Gramma have always been driving forces for me. My Gramma lost her husband far too early, and she had to pick up the pieces to survive. I watched her work hard to establish her finances and get things in order. My mom worked hard as a single parent to make our lives as good as they were. I take my inspiration from these women to keep working through the tough times and do your best. I am grateful for the things my Gramma provided for me. I am grateful for the things my Mom has done for me. She is very giving and caring, and I hope that I can live up to her example.

Q: If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be?
There are so many issues plaguing mankind right now, I’m not sure where I would best serve others. The environment needs all of us to do better. The homeless have places to go, but there are no services that are available to help them get there – many mental health issues hinder some of the homeless to participate in the shelters set up for them. The education system is in desperate need of an overhaul, as well. Our students are getting the best that the system provides for them, and many teachers like myself go above and beyond to help enrich the learning, but the system is failing teachers and students. There is also the issue of governing bodies with lawmakers deciding what to do with a woman’s body. That should be a no brainer, but some people think they have the right to dictate what a woman does. To pick just one cause is much too difficult, but these are all worthy causes for my time and energy.

Q: Finally, what three character traits come to mind when you think of your success in life?
Have gratitude for what you have, give back to those in need, and be a kind person that the world needs.