Ava Musgraves
Contributing Writer
Social Studies teacher Joshua Luparell started this fall as a history teacher at Webster Groves High School.
Born and raised in Springfield, MO, Luparell has had a love of learning and teaching since he was in high school.
His teachers throughout Luparell’s time as a student inspired him to love his job, and he followed in their footsteps, he knew it was something he would want to do for the rest of his professional life.
Luparell got his undergrad at SIUE. He went to grad school at UMSL, where he studied the Osage tribe and its experience with missionaries and wrote his master’s thesis on the topic.
“Well, oh my gosh, I just love learning,” Luparell said. He has previously taught at Ursuline for nine years and Francis Howell as a para before that.
He said he came to Webster because of the great recommendations of the district from teacher friends and it’s a great community to be a part of. Luparell said the deal, for him, was really sealed when he was asked to teach a lesson during the interview process.
“I just remember teaching this lesson and those students that I was with. They were just fantastic, and I just had so much fun with them,” Luparell said. He described just a great feeling after and immediately calling his wife, hoping for a job offer.
Luparell’s favorite part of teaching history, he said, is helping students realize their ideas and breaking down barriers. He said his absolute favorite thing is when students tell him, they don’t like history, but they liked his class.
“I think Mr. Luparell is a really good teacher, and he adds a nice calm energy to an otherwise very hectic and busy and stressful class,” block student Amelia Griesedieck said.
Outside of his passion for history, Luparell has two “kiddos,” he said. Daughter Ella and son Issac are all over Webster now.
“I take them to the events to see the cool things my students are doing, whether that be in theater or in sports. I want them to have really inspiring young people to look up too,” Luparell said.
Luparell would like all Webster students to know, give Issac and Ella a high five because it would make their day.
See Also: Voices of Webster: September 6, 2019
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