Renah Razzaq: A Passionate Educator Defying the Odds

A before and after were recently marked in Worcester’s educational history with the inauguration of the newly built Doherty Memorial High School on Highland Street. The breathtaking building opens its doors to students, parents, and educators alike. More significantly, this inauguration represents the birth of newer and better education opportunities. Creating safer learning environments results in greater opportunities for the local educators to build better communities and help the younger generations have higher chances to succeed. Among these passionate educators we can find Renah Razzaq, the current assistant principal at Doherty. As a role model for her students, Razzaq becomes a great example of resilience and perseverance.

Non-traditional is a term that defines Razzaq’s journey through life as she was a high school dropout and earned her GED at the age of 23. “I landed in teaching accidentally,” she recalls. Besides the educational challenges that she was faced with at such a young age, Razzaq was also a mother and a wife trying to find balance between her family and her career. As a stay-at-home mom, Razzaq mentions she felt a need to move forward, “I wanted more out of life,” she shares with determination. Out of this desire, with the support of her husband, Razzaq enrolled at Quinsigamond Community College. Although her first career option was diving into English and the world of literature, after taking a placement test Razzaq realized her connection to mathematics and numbers and chose pre-calculus as her new path. Later on, after transferring to Worcester State University, Razzaq’s love for mathematics had grown to levels she could have never imagined. 

Doherty Memorial High School has been Razzaq’s home since 2002. In addition to teaching, Razzaq has also acted as a head of department among other achievements throughout her professional career. Currently, she is an assistant principal at Doherty Memorial High School and a professor at Worcester State University. With 22 years of teaching experience, Razzaq has not only taught about numbers and equations, but she has also heavily influenced the lives of many students. “There’s no money that can explain what it feels like when a student gets it and their face lights up,” Razzaq comments as she passionately shares about the importance her students have in her life.

The position of being an assistant principal has been a tool for Razzaq to have an even bigger impact on the surrounding community. She seeks to continue creating safe spaces where students can thrive not only academically but also socially. Working alongside an educational team, Razzaq’s focuses on increasing retention rates at Doherty. This commitment results in new opportunities for each student to achieve success and thrive. As a result, these efforts impact individual lives, but also the whole community.

“It does something to your energy when you walk into a building and everything is new,” Razzaq mentions explaining the huge impact the new Doherty building is having on the students. “Each teacher has now their own room” allowing students to have easier access to their teachers. Razzaq comments the new building being constructed provides the Highlanders with more educational programs to choose from such as construction and marketing. 

As a mother herself, Razzaq fulfills an important role in the growth of the younger generations by also serving as a trusted adult for the teenagers under her watch. “[It] always makes me emotional when a mother finds me [at graduation] and says, hey, are you Mrs. Razzaq? Let me tell you… My son didn't like math before you [...] You know those really stay with you. You never forget those stories,” Razzaq recalls fondly. Some of her students have kept in touch with her even after graduation because of the relationship developed between both inside the classrooms. A few teachers at Doherty have become educators after being Razzaq’s students during their teenage years. A legacy being built as a result of her story.

Aspiring to continuously create change and make a difference in Worcester, Razzaq proudly shares her story with those that surround her. A story that shows the difficulty of life and the importance of choosing to move forward. Although the path has not been perfect, Razzaq has something very present in her life that helps her keep going, “You might fail a few times, and that’s okay,” she says. Not only does Renah Razzaq educate her students on how to clear “x”, but she also teaches them passion, determination, belonging, and most importantly that they are valued and loved. As a new chapter begins in the brand-new Doherty building, Razzaq’s commitment to be a leader in Massachusetts’ education system remains firm, building a stronger, impactful, and welcoming community.