McIntosh has been affected, like all schools, by the decrease in teachers around America. Therefore, McIntosh has been seeing more new faces teaching students. One of these new teachers is Mary Beth Grabhorn, an Environmental Science and AP Seminar teacher at McIntosh and is the sponsor of the Adopt-a-Stream Program at McIntosh.

Mary Beth has worked as an environmental scientist for EPD (Environmental Protection Division) and was drawn towards teaching because she became tired of being in court so much for environmental issues but not actually being proactive and doing anything about it.

“I’ve taught for 18 years, but it was all middle school. I did teach a high school course in middle school, but this is the first time actually in high school,” said Grabhorn.

Grabhorn has done many intriguing and unique things, including going and living in Antarctica for part of her last year of college.

“I went on a Russian research vessel when I was in my last year of study at college, and it was for environmental science. And we did studies on penguin colonies, things that affected how the food chain was disrupted with the ozone layer affecting the krill population. So it was just fascinating and it was a place that hardly anyone goes to,” said Grabhorn.

Grabhorn is also sponsor of the Adopt-a-Stream Program, after a two-year hiatus. Currently, the club is working on monitoring streams, water, freshwater ponds, and lakes around the Peachtree City area for chemical pollutants, bacteria problems and counting macroinvertebrates.

“It’s [Adopt a Stream] a state program where we take the information that we gather for chemical testing kits and test the chemicals in the water, the bacteria, count the macroinvertebrates, and report it to the state. It’s kind of like helping them keep a monitor on our local streams, because there’s just not enough personnel, so they come out and train students and teachers to do that,” Grabhorn said.

Grabhorn loves working with high school students because it is a daily reminder of how much fun they can be.

“I love high school with the independence of students and helping them think about the next big step versus handling middle school behaviors. It’s a big jump. I love more mature minds and more independent student programs. I think the biggest problem that the nation is facing is the shortage of teachers, and how do we get that fixed with society’s view of teaching versus what it actually teaches? So I wish that people would be excited about going into that career again,” Grabhorn said.

Grabhorn doesn’t just teach here, she is also a McIntosh graduate, from the class of 93. She was also the Editor-in-Chief of the Trail.

“I think it’s good to give back to the place that helped me so much. Being a graduate here, it’s kind of nice being on the other end to give back knowing how much McIntosh helped me,” Grabhorn said.