Lisa Denney is the high school department head and teaches Human Anatomy and Physiology, AP Biology and AP Environmental Science. Her classes are full of hands-on experiences for her students, whom she holds to a high standard, keeping them motivated and succeeding throughout the year. The journey to teaching for Denney was not orthodox, but the path that God has led her on throughout her life has placed her exactly where she wants to be and her impact has been evident in her purpose here at Carmel. 

Denney is from Chicago, Illinois, where she grew up the youngest and has two older brothers. She remembers, even in her childhood,  always loving the outdoors. “I enjoyed being outside, hanging out with neighborhood friends. We would go into the forest and play outside, and we would stay out until the street lights came on. I was just always outside,” she recalls. Her love for nature has remained a constant throughout her life and has shaped who she is today.

She was also heavily involved with sports in her childhood. Denney played both basketball and softball. She played basketball for five years and softball for eleven years. Both sports helped shape her work ethic and appreciation for physical activity. 

Science has always interested Denney’s life, as proved by her time spent outside in her childhood. She had a high school teacher who was notoriously a “tough teacher.” Despite the class being difficult, he pulled her and another student aside to tell them how proud he was of them in his class. This moment shaped her outlook moving into the future, as “there was someone in the field who believed in me,” stated Denney. The confidence boost led her to study Biology at the University of Illinois.

After college, Denney worked in a pharmaceutical company, Abbott Laboratories, for eight years. She worked actively in the labs on a variety of diagnostic tests. Denney enjoyed her work there, specifically the “hands-on” aspect of her job. During this time, Denney met her husband, Lawrence, at church. The two dated for ten months before getting engaged. The two were married and started their life together in the Chicago suburbs. 

Denney stopped her work at Abbott Laboratories when she started having children. Denney has three daughters: her oldest, Lily, is in her last her at UNC studying Biomedical Engineering; her middle daughter, Kate, is a freshman at Clemson studying Nursing; and her youngest, Abby, is a sophomore here at Carmel and also excels in her Math and Science classes. All three of Denney’s daughters have inherited a love her the world of science.

The Denney family moved to Charlotte in 2007 for Lawrence’s new job opportunities. Denney quickly adjusted to life in North Carolina due to the beautiful, lush and green landscape and the welcomed change in the weather. Denney states, “It was -1 degree when we left Chicago, so Charlotte was a welcome change.” Abby was born in Charlotte.

Denney’s move to Carmel came in an unsuspected way; she was looking for a new church in Charlotte, and that led to her sending her three daughters to Carmel’s Wee school in 2008. It was through this search that she began substitute teaching in 2014 when Abby had started kindergarten, which eventually led her into full-time education. “I never had a plan for teaching, but God had a plan for me,” she reflected.

Denney loves preparing her students for the future, knowing her role goes beyond academics. She understands how difficult her classes are, but knows that these classes will prepare the students for the future. “While the class is difficult, I’m preparing them for life,” she says. The hardest part is when students leave. She mentioned that this feeling is bittersweet because she is so proud of the students, but upset that their time at Carmel is done.

Outside of school, Denney enjoys a vast array of outdoor activities. She has always been an avid hiker, runner and environmental enthusiast. She enjoys all of the Carolina mountains. She has also recently picked up Pickleball with her family. Though the group isn’t the most competitive, she enjoys “just having fun with [her] family.” Denney’s love for sports growing up has led her to appreciate the moving and taking care of her physical health. She has found a love for the gym, and finds that it is an outlet for her after a long day of teaching and states, “that it is a space to [her] mind.” 

Looking back, Denney feels her move to Carmel was a gift. “It was completely God’s plan,” she says. Teaching wasn’t something she had expected, but once she found her love for it, she knew it was where God wanted her to be. “I’ve learned a talent that I never knew I had,” she adds.

 Denney’s story is a testament to how life’s unexpected turns can lead us to exactly where we’re supposed to be. Her journey from science to teaching reflects her love for the students and science. Denney specifically has enjoyed teaching her Anatomy courses as she states that, “students enjoy learning about themselves, so they are always curious, and I am open to answering any of the questions!”

Hallie Hashimoto, an Honors Anatomy student who is currently in Denney’s class, states, “It’s been really interesting learning about our body and how it works. She does things like coloring books, labs, activities and really fun things to make the content applicable. She takes the time to explain things, because of the complicated content of her course, she makes sure we understand everything in depth.” Hashimoto aspires to be a nurse herself one day, and Denney’s course has been an assurance of that calling. 

 Maggie Horne, a new math teacher here at Carmel this past year, is a “classroom neighbor” with Denney. Horne remarks that, “Truly, Mrs. Denney has been like my ‘work mom’ this year! She is so encouraging and has given me support in navigating the ropes of Carmel. Whenever I don’t know something, she’s got an answer. I feel like she and I have a similar teaching style or way we do things in our classroom by holding students to high expectations, and she has helped me to remember that keeping those high standards is good. If I ever need a laugh or a hug, she’s there for me!”