What is your position at Lincoln?
“I am the NGSS Biology teacher. I teach sophomore AVID and I’m doing Freshman Leadership and Inquiry.”
What made you want to come to Lincoln?”
“My friend, Mr. [Valenzuela], works here. I was at alternative high schools prior to this, and I just really wanted to be in a comprehensive high school.”
“Where were you before Lincoln?”
“I was at Alliance High School for three years. It’s within Portland Public Schools and it’s over in Northeast [Portland]. It’s on 42nd and Alberta. It is for students who, for whatever reason, comprehensive high school just wasn’t working for them. I really enjoyed it, but I was ready for a change.”
What made you decide to go into the science field?
“My dad is a fisher, he’s a biologist, and my mom was a first and second grade teacher, so I’m kind of bringing those two together. (…) I was thinking about being a professor in fisheries, because I really wanted to do fisheries, and I was going to go do a project for my Masters in science. (…) I was like ‘Okay, the reason I want to be a professor is to teach,’ because I really like teaching. [So I decided to] be a science teacher at high schools and middle schools. … When I did my student teaching, I wanted to be a high school science teacher, but when I first started, I did middle school and I loved it. I just love teaching.”
What made you decide to come to high school as opposed to staying at a middle school?
“I wanted to go deeper in the subjects. I wanted to go deeper into biology and I really loved teaching all science. I really like space a lot too, but biology really is my favorite. I wanted to go deeper into the subject.”
What are some of your hobbies outside of teaching?
“I love watching my daughters play sports. I have a senior at Grant and a freshman at Grant. I love skiing, mountain biking, biking, fly-fishing, [and] anything outdoors with my family.”
What are you looking forward to this school year?
“Getting to know all the students.”
