'I'm the grammar police': Former teacher, now cop recognized during Women's History Month
March is Women's History Month, a time to highlight the contributions of women to history, culture and society.
Chelsea Evans, a former elementary and Spanish teacher, is grateful to be living out her dream.
Officer Evans is now a school resource officer at Jupiter High School in Florida. She has been on the job for about a year and a half, and she loves it.
"It's my favorite thing. Teaching, I will never lose teaching," Evans said. "Once a teacher, always a teacher. Yesterday I corrected someone, she said 'got' instead of 'have'. So, I'm the grammar police for sure."
Before heading to Jupiter, Evans was a deputy with the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office. Before that, she spent about a decade as a teacher.
Originally from New York, Evans said she always wanted to become both a teacher and a police officer. She said her father served with the NYPD and FDNY, and when she moved to Florida, she realized she could combine both career paths.
"When I came to Florida, I realized there's a cop in every school that is absolutely amazing," Evans said. "So, I knew when I moved down here, I eventually wanted to become a school police officer, so I just kind of took two, both careers and smooched them together."
One Jupiter High student, Teddy Auerbach, admits Evans is a favorite on campus.
"Every time I see her, it just brings a smile to my face," Auerbach said.
Assistant Principal Christine Rick said Evans not only attends extracurricular activities with students but also builds connections with those who need support the most.
"She knows them by name, she greets them by name, and I think that's really important for a resource officer to show that not only is she an officer but she's a woman who's an officer," Evans said. "And it gives them an opportunity to look at a role model that is an excellent role model."
During a cold spell in February, Evans reached out to the Giving Tree Project and helped provide warm clothing for students who did not have any.
Keeping students and staff safe is also a major part of Evans' mission.
"They thrive on safety and security here, and that's the biggest thing because when children feel safe, they want to learn," Evans said.
Evans also credited the district's crisis alert badges, also known as Centegix badges, with helping keep people safe at school. The badges were funded through the referendum that has been in place since 2019, and voters will be asked whether to continue it in November 2026.
"Having Centegix badges have helped us tremendously, and I know continuing on, we are working on having our Centegix badges follow us throughout the school should we need to press them in a medical emergency or in a code red situation with an active assailant," Evans said.
Evans said she enjoys coming to work and being around students. On the final day of Women's History Month, she also shared a message for young women.
"Say yes to everything and anything you possibly can, and do it because it makes you happy, not because it makes everybody else happy," Evans said.