Tucked in a quiet hallway across from the auditorium, room 214 sits adorned with paintings and other art projects reflecting Chinese culture. Chinese teacher and Asian Pacific American Club (APAC) adviser Lihua Shorter collected all these pieces of student art over the years.

Widely hailed by her students as a “BHS legend,” Shorter is retiring from teaching after spending 25 years at the high school in the fall of 2022.

Since arriving at the high school, Shorter said she has seen the Chinese language program grow from having 40 students in two classes to a program with over 200 students in nine classes.

“In the beginning, I had a very small pool of students to work with. Most of them were just curious about a different language,” Shorter said. “In the last 15 years, there’s more of a drive from students wanting to know more about China, whether it’s language or culture, and students who are thinking about [their] Chinese language education in terms of career advancement.”

According to Shorter, the Chinese language curriculum and her teaching style have matured over the years, allowing her to find her place as a teacher.

“Oftentimes I feel challenged by my students in my classroom, and that motivates me to learn new ways to teach or just find out more information so I can deliver lessons with confidence,” Shorter said. “I honestly can’t think of another career that fits me better than teaching. I wouldn’t say it’s the best job for everyone in the world, but it fits me perfectly.”

Junior Justina Wang was in Shorter’s Chinese IV class during her sophomore year. Wang said Shorter’s positive energy stood out among her teachers.

“She is always very cheerful and energetic. She makes me feel really comfortable and has taught me a lot about my own Chinese heritage,” Wang said.

According to former APAC President Yuki Hoshi ‘22, Shorter acts like an “in-school mother” to many of her students.

“She refers to everyone in APAC and all of her Chinese students as her own kids. If I need to talk to someone, she’s one of the first people that comes to mind for me,” Hoshi said.

After unexpectedly taking over as APAC adviser following the original adviser going on maternity leave 15 years ago, Shorter said the club has had a profound impact on her.

“I never envisioned [APAC] to be a part of my professional life. I feel forever indebted to the kids I worked with through APAC,” Shorter said. “They made me a better person in many different ways.”

In 2019, Shorter was nominated as Brookline’s Women of the Year in recognition of her effort in building a platform for the Asian American community in Brookline. According to Hoshi, Shorter has been the high school’s figurehead for Asian American students and staff.

“She is just such a powerhouse. Ms. Shorter has really paved the way for a lot of people in all kinds of ways whether that be as a language teacher, as an Asian American or as a woman,” Hoshi said. “Having her as a person to look up to meant so much for the students who got to know her as well as I did.”

Shorter said she will miss walking into her classroom filled with students and artwork every day the most.

“When I look at each painting in the room, I remember the student who made it and what he, she or they were like in high school,” Shorter said. “It’s been quite a ride. The first few years were really hard because I didn’t know how to connect with the students. Once I started to understand the teenage mind a little better, I started enjoying working with teenagers. I will really miss the interactions I have with my students.”