Dr. Pamela Durkee, Biology

Ph.D., M.S., Colorado State University, B.S., Stanford University

Pam credits her mom and dad with making education a priority in her life, and in fact, her mom always believed that Pam was destined to be a teacher. After growing up in Los Angeles, Pam attended Stanford University, earning a BS in Biological Sciences. She then continued her studies at Colorado State University, earning an MS and a PhD in Zoology with an emphasis in Behavioral Genetics. She tried her hand in the world of research, working for a short time at a world renowned mammalian genetics institute, the Jackson Laboratory, in Bar Harbor, Maine.

But Pam knew that her mom was right, and in 1982, took an adjunct faculty position at Colorado State University, while her husband, Dr. Phil Durkee, finished his PhD studies. They moved to Monterey in 1984. Wanting to both continue her teaching and be an accessible mom to her growing family, Pam found that teaching part-time at Hartnell Community College in Salinas was a perfect compromise. For thirteen years, she taught introductory biology, physiology, human biology and zoology. In 1999, she left Hartnell to join the Math/Science division at York School, where she teaches 9th grade Biology and Advanced Placement Biology, as well as Algebra I.

For Pam, the York family really is family. She is not only a member of the York faculty, but sees the school through the eyes of a York parent as well. In fact, the first Durkee at York School was actually her oldest son, Christopher. Her other two sons, Tim and Andrew, each followed when they reached high school age. Pam is proud of the successful students that all three of her boys have become as a result of their York experiences.

Throughout the years, Pam has found her greatest satisfaction and inspiration in teaching, but not just in her field. She volunteers in her church as a Sunday School teacher and in her local middle school coaching Mathcounts (a math enrichment program). She also loves teaching her beloved canine companions in the fields of obedience, rally and agility. She says of her dog, Mele “She’s just like any of my students. When she understands, she gets so excited. And for me, that’s the greatest reward of all.”