Warrior Student Becomes Warrior Teacher

by Brianna Ozuna

Mr. Gerardo Lopez

Mr. Gerardo López, Pueblo Alumni from the Class of 2005, has now returned to become an Algebra 1 teacher. This will be Lopez’s first year here at Pueblo.

López was a former teacher’s aide in the Sunnyside School District, but he added this position pushed him to pursue a teaching career.

“It was during this time that I truly realized that I liked math and liked helping students just as much. So, I made the decision to become a teacher.”

Thus far, López said that he has enjoyed his experiences here at Pueblo by making connections with students and building relationships with them while teaching and motivating them to push themselves.

“I see some of the students going through the same struggles as I did when I was a teenager,” he said. “We can make connections, and so I’m kind of motivating them to do better in life.”

As a new teacher, López confessed that he has many strengths and a few weaknesses.

“One of my greatest strengths is being patient, which is one of the reasons why teaching has been so easy for me. However, one of my weaknesses is taking work home with me—not getting grading done at Pueblo.”

López said that he is “very happy” that he is initiating his full-time teaching career at Pueblo, and he is looking forward to adapting to a new lifestyle—a new school with great new students.

From Paper & Pencil To Virtual Reality

By Alina Cuen and Jacquelyn Gutierrez (Beginning Journalism)

Mr. Somoza with some of his CTE Students

As the world grows it advances and gets technical. We’ve gone from brick phones to smart phones in a short period of time. Even education has evolved to using smart technology as well, such as 3-D printers. Robots are beginning to take jobs. This is the 21st Century.

Not too long ago, Pueblo’s women’s sports teams convened at the football field for a picture when they had realized a drone flying over their head was actually taking the picture. Mr. Ernesto Somoza, the graphic and web design teacher as well as the freshman communication media technology (CMT) teacher here at Pueblo, was responsible for this modern way to take pictures—and he is always teaching students in his classroom the latest in technology.

“Technology can fundamentally improve anything,” said Somoza. “I know that a lot of our students use their cell phones during class, so I started using this thing called “Poll me” for their bell work question. They just text their response, and it gives them credit.”

One of Somoza’s latest technological tools is the 3-D printer. It creates three-dimensional objects in which layers of material are formed under computer control to create an object.

“I want to stay current to what my students like, that’s why I got into 3-D printing,” Somoza said.

His first attempt to using the 3-D printer wasn’t so easy.

“First, it was very challenging, then easy then difficult again,” said Somoza. “However, it all takes some practice—as I teach my students. They definitely contribute to the learning of this new technology.”

The first creation, in November, was a cookie-cutter, then a skull, which took three days to complete. Then, there were the plant holders, phone case, and even a map of Europe. The U.S. Capitol building was fun, Somoza said, because it could be taken apart and then reassembled.

“I believe every classroom should have one of these [3-D printers] because of how engaged this device keeps students,” Somoza said. “We [teachers] need to stay ahead of times.”

There are numerous applications for a 3-D printer, Somoza added. For example, student would be able to dissect a “fake” frog instead of the “real” thing.

Somoza also has virtual reality goggles, and just by wearing them, students are “transported” to different cities and different continents—not to mention different planets!

“I took a student to Pluto the other day!” Somoza said. “It’s amazing how I could change every student’s perspective on the world, if only I had 30 of these!”

Next year, Somoza hopes to stay ahead of technology and teach his students and himself new ways of improving education.

“We’ll see what next school year brings,” Somoza said.

Get the latest news from Mr. Somoza’s CMT class by following him on Instagram.

Welcome, Mr. Berns! (And Thanks For Helping Students Read Better!)

  

By Victor Garcia and Anthony Gutierrez

Starting this 2016-17 year, Mr. Drew Berns joins the Warrior family as a reading interventionist, helping struggling readers improve their vocabulary skills along with reading fluency.

“We learn a lot of different strategies to help students improve their reading,” Berns said. “One of the best ones is to read a lot of different genres which helps out the students a lot.”

Although this is Berns’ first year at Pueblo, this is his 13th year of teaching. He has taught in several cities, including Nogales and Phoenix.

After graduating from Canyon del Oro High School, Berns then pursued several degrees from the University of Arizona, including a bachelor’s degree in family consumer services and a master’s degree in Mexican-American studies in 2014.

Berns said that the transition to Pueblo was an easy one.

“I really like our students here [at Pueblo],” Berns said. “I think it’s hard for our students to sit in a classroom for 90 minutes on block days [Wednesdays and Thursdays]—especially freshmen.”

Although he works primarily with freshmen, Berns said that he also helps juniors in RTI (Response to Intervention) classes.

“I really enjoy working with our students one-on-one, and I find it rewarding—for both the student and for me,” Berns said.

It’s no surprise that as reading specialist, Bern loves to read. He said that his
favorite novel is The Devils Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea, a story about a group of immigrants crossing the border between Mexico and the U.S.

Government Teacher Joins Warrior Staff: Mr. Nicholas Gunn

  

By Victor Garcia and Anthony Gutierrez

This school year, Mr. Nicholas Gunn joins the Pueblo faculty family as a new government and history teacher.

This is Gunn’s first year of teaching, and he definitely has his hands full teaching both juniors and seniors.

“There is a distinct school culture that creates a real sense of community,” Gunn said. “The students, teachers, and administration alike share a connection with Pueblo on a common goal which benefits all aspects of this school’s productivity.”

Gunn graduated from the University of Arizona in 2016, majoring in history, but he said that he also studied anthropology along with some educational work.

Although it’s still very early in his new career, Gunn said that he enjoys teaching very much, although he admitted that his job could occasionally be “demanding when it comes to preparing and tailoring assignments in a way that resonates with students.”

Gunn thinks that the teachers, faculty and students are all great but only wishes that we would be able to obtain more resources that the students and our faculty deserve.

“Virtually all schools in Tucson could really utilize extra funding and resources,” Gunn said.

Gunn further added that students should be aware of how real forms or movements of change have stemmed from the efforts of small groups of people.

“My main focus has always been on student activism,” Gunn said, “as well as the facilitation of building individual identity within government and building a personal connection with politics.”

Warriors, Let’s Welcome Ms. Rawlings

  

by Yessica Sanchez and Lya Thurston

Ready to teach and learn, Mrs. Lore Rawlings joined the Pueblo High School community this school year as the new P.E. and health teacher.

Rawlings was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia and attended West Virginia State University where she majored in health and education.

“Coming from a long lineage of teachers, I was inspired to follow in their paths,” Rawlings said. “It’s in my blood. I really love working with kids!”

After teaching for about 22 years in West Virginia, she said that she decided to make a change from West Virginia and move to Tucson to be closer to her husband’s family.

“I love having the students participate in hands-on projects because it really increases learning,” Rawlings said.

After nearly five month’s at Pueblo, Rawlings said that she truly loves teaching here as well as the community atmosphere of the school.

“I’ve fallen in love with the students here!” Rawlings said. “Everyone is so polite!”

CBI Teacher Becomes a Part of the Warrior Family

By Victor Garcia and Anthony Gutierrez

Hannah Peatrowski surronded by some of her students

Last school year, Ms. Hannah Peatrowsky joined the Warrior family as a community based instructor (CBI). To some, her face seemed very familiar—as she had been a Pueblo coach for both track and cross country.

This is Peatrowsky’s fourth year of teaching altogether, and her contract position at Pueblo is her first “official” teaching position. She was a long-term sub beginning in 2013, mostly assisting teachers rather than actually substituting for them.

Peatrowsky’s said that her classes focus primarily on teaching her CBI students basic skills such as cooking and home economics. Students learn about kitchen safety, food preparation, and measuring ingredients.

“I wish that all students at Pueblo could have the same opportunities that I had back in high school,” said Peatrowsky. As a student at Coconino High School in Flagstaff, Ariz., she said that she had access to many scholastic programs that involved outdoor activities such as learning survival tactics.

Her husband, Mr. Patrick Peatrowsky, also teaches at Pueblo as an economics and government teacher.

I enjoy working together [with my husband] because we can carpool,” she said. “He even brings me lunch. However, I don’t really get to see him throughout the day, but I hear great things about him around the school.”