Cynthia Protus-Edelstein, known as Ms. Protus to most, has been teaching at Niles West since August 1992. She started her career teaching biology at West. After five years, she switched to teaching chemistry. Throughout her time at West, Protus taught conceptual chemistry and chemistry honors classes.
Protus earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Illinois-Champaign in 1990. She minored in Early Childhood Development and worked with hospitalized children during her college years. In 1992, she earned her Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction and her secondary teaching certificate from DePaul University.
“When I was in high school, I taught kindergarten at a local elementary school. My advisors encouraged me to become a teacher, but I wanted to go to medical school to become a pediatrician. I decided to combine my teaching skills, science content knowledge and love for children to become a science teacher. It seemed like the perfect fit,” Protus said.
Protus is most known by students for her fun take on Halloween. Every year, Protus throws a Halloween party for her chemistry classes. She decorates her classroom, and students participate in Halloween related science experiments. Junior Olivia Lazar enjoyed Protus’s take on holidays.
“I enjoyed that she made holidays a big deal, and how she connected them to chemistry,” Lazar said.
Chemistry teacher Margaret Bower has worked with Protus for 15 years. She believes Protus made a strong impact on the science department. According to Bower, Protus welcomed and mentored new chemistry teachers at West.
“She was my mentor when I first started, and she really helped me. She’s helped a lot of us…She’s a bright spot in our department. Always very cheerful…It’s going to be hard. We’re going to have a big hole in our department with her being gone…She’s really elevated our science department, especially our chemistry team,” Bower said.
Chemistry teacher Brittany Wu has worked with Protus for 11 years. She has enjoyed her time alongside her.
“It has been a true joy to work with Ms. Protus. Her dedication, warmth and unwavering support for both students and colleagues created a positive and inspiring atmosphere in our school. Whether collaborating on lessons or simply sharing a laugh, her presence brought a sense of camaraderie and unwavering support that made each day better. She led by example, demonstrating patience, creativity and a deep love for teaching that touched everyone around her,” Wu said.
Protus reflects on her time at West. She is grateful for what she has learned throughout her years of teaching.
“Over the past 33 years, I have learned something new every single day from each and every colleague and student. All of these encounters have shaped my teaching in several ways. I feel lucky to have taught in this community for my entire career. [I hope] I’ve made a difference and sparked an interest in STEM careers. I’ve learned that teaching requires endless patience, understanding, boundless energy and a true passion for helping others selflessly,” Protus said.
Congratulations Ms. Protus!
