Q: Can you tell us about any extracurricular activities or projects you’re involved in outside of teaching?
A: “To stay sane, I do a bit of running and cycling. I run on the bluffs in Carpinteria a few times per week (where I’ve crossed paths with Ms. Pointer a time or two) and spend most Sunday mornings climbing Gibraltar Road or Painted Cave with another cyclist friend. Running and cycling keeps me fit enough to enter athletic events in the running and cycling world here and there. Fun fact- in 2018 there was a cycling event held in Santa Barbara called “Hillclimb World Championships.” The race went up Gibraltar Road, a road popular with local cyclists, accessible just behind the mission… and I won it.
I also enjoy playing in the kitchen. I usually cook at least one big meal on the weekends that can be eaten throughout the week, and I have also been known to make a solid cookie recipe or two. This winter I purchased a cookbook called, Love and Lemons: Simple Feel Good Food. I have cooked more than ten dishes from this book already! It has introduced me to new ingredients (like nutritional yeast as a cheesy-tasting substitute) and new sauce techniques (like using cashews for a creamy enchilada sauce).”
Q: What is your biggest athletic accomplishment?
A: “It’s a close call… in 2014 I completed the Lake Place Ironman (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bicycle ride, 26.2-mile run). The hardest part about completing an Ironman is staying healthy through the training process! I showed up to the starting line with a strained calf muscle but grinded out the day. I managed to finish in under 12 hours, and while I like to consider myself a competitor rather than a completer of athletic events, I was happy to cross the line and check the ‘I am an Ironman’ box.”
Q: Who do you admire?
A: “I wish that I could French braid my own hair like Senior Kendall Keshen.
I wish that I could speak another language so that I could join conversations with Juniors Ethan Carrington and Jules Leclercq.
I wish that I looked as astute in spectacles as Senior Griffin Rick.
I wish to be as easygoing as Senior Brody McGonigle.”
5. Can you share any tips for effective studying and time management?
Sometimes it seems the more free time students have, the more difficult it is for them to manage their time. Additionally, it seems that distractions in our ever-changing world are ever-increasing! It’s important to carve out time dedicated to studying if one wants to strengthen skills in any academic area. Put your phone away and utilize your “do not disturb” functions on electronic devices in order to be able to center your attention if it’s a limitation! At the end of a chapter or unit, I encourage students to complete a reference sheet or “one-pager” of all of the most important concepts covered. Also- check in with your friends about their study go-tos! It can also help you hold each other accountable for staying on task. There is no reason to go at it alone. Quiz each other… quizlet each other… you know, whatever it is kids are doing these days (see how I age myself…?).
