By: Vanessa Ifepe

Do you have any special skills?

I am a visual artist and musician. I’ve done a lot of work in design and I have a background in construction which is what I did before I became a teacher.

What made you want to become a teacher and specifically for high school students?

Working in construction, I got a chance to see an entire industry and a workplace and I think that when I reached my mid twenties—or my early twenties, I started thinking about what I wanted for my life. I wanted a job that would be meaningful, and I think that in teaching I help other people get where they need to go and that is kind of the foundation of my passion and philosophy for teaching.

What is something you wish you could tell your high school self?

You did the right thing.

Describe your high school experience

Me and high school didn’t get along, but I did spend a lot of time learning to program and design. I also spent a lot of time playing music so most of my high school experience involved not being in high school except to get my work done so I could go do my own thing.

Overall, did you enjoy high school?

I was not popular, and I did not enjoy high school, but I mean I recognized its importance and I think that I knew that as long as I kept my grades up, I’d be allowed to pursue my personal interests — I spent my time focused on maximizing those.

What is something teenagers do now that you don’t understand?

I do not understand the obsession over youtubers as in the celebrity status of youtubers. That’s just bizarre to me. Although, it has been explained to me and I understand and accept it more now but that is totally weird and not of my generation at all.