This week I sat down with Ms. Padilla. In this interview I got a closer look into her high school experience back in the early 2000’s. She shares the valuable memories and lessons learned, as well as friendships she built with staff who are now her coworkers.
Ms. Padilla, PHS Junior Year
What year did you graduate from Porterville High School?
2009
Where did you go to college?
I went to UC Davis for my bachelor’s degree in English and Stanford University for my master’s degree in Education and teaching credential.
How long have you been teaching English at Porterville High School?
This is my 11th year.
What was your favorite memory from high school?
I loved going to school dances with my friends, who I still keep in touch with today. We had a blast! When I was in high school, Mr. Larry Herrera (our Special Project coordinator) and his wife, Mrs. Sara Herrera, were the ASB advisors, and we had so many dances and fun activities. I loved being in ASB as a senior. My best friend, Lauren, and I would always participate in all the cool ASB activities like twin dress-up days and dances.
Who was your favorite teacher in high school?
Mrs. Odsather and Mr. Mitchell were my favorite teachers in high school (and now they’re my English colleagues and friends, which is truly a dream come true). I spent a lot of lunch times my senior year hanging out with Mrs. O. We would nerd out over books (like Twilight) and I would tell her all of my hopes and dreams. She was actually pregnant with her youngest son, Alec (who is a freshman this year) when I was in her class. Mrs. O has always been a kindred spirit.
What is your favorite style trend from high school?
I’m a millennial, so I was rocking side bangs, bumped straight hair (think Snooki from Jersey Shore), and layers, layers, layers!
(Ms. Padilla’s Senior Portrait)
What is your favorite song from high school?
I have too many and it depends on the vibe! Some of my favorite songs from high school are “Last Night” by Keyshia Cole, “Low” by Flo Rida ft. T-Pain, “Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance, and the entire album All the Right Reasons by Nickelback. I was also really into John Mayer and James Blunt because I loved the soft emo vibes.
What was your favorite memory with a staff member?
When I was a sophomore, Mr. Valdez called me into his office (Mr. Valdez was an assistant principal at PHS at the time). He called my mom to share the news that I had been chosen to go to a youth leadership conference (HOBY). He said such nice things about me and why I had been chosen to represent our school, and it made my mom so proud that she cried. I’ll always remember that. I appreciate that he took the time out of his day to make me feel special as a student. It’s a pretty cool full-circle thing to now work for him on our staff. I’ll always cherish that memory and appreciate Mr. Valdez’s kindness, which I still value and respect today as his colleague.
What was your career goal during high school?
I wanted to be a family law attorney. In college I did some job shadowing with an attorney and took a legal writing class, and I realized that law just wasn’t for me. (I let my heart lead my head too much.) I realized that I loved being in a classroom and working with students and sharing my love for literature. I am also a proud teacher’s kid, so I felt good about carrying on that legacy and pivoting from my original career goals.
What is one lesson that high school taught you?
To be kind to EVERYONE. At my 10-year reunion, one of my former classmates came up to me and thanked me for always being kind to her in high school. She mentioned that she got bullied a lot in high school, and she shared with me that people didn’t realize that she was actually going through a really hard time with her family. She said that she remembered me always being nice to her and talking and joking around with her in class. That’s always stuck with me–we don’t realize how we make people feel sometimes, so it’s always important to be kind because people will always remember how you made them feel. I think that’s an important life lesson.
How did Porterville High School prepare you for adulthood?
Growing up as an only child I was kind of an introvert and going to a huge high school scared me. However, once I got t0 PHS, I really enjoyed interacting with different groups of people, and I was able to venture out and meet new people. The setting here at PHS taught me how to interact with pretty much any type of person and to have thicker skin and not take things so personally. High school is tough, but you get through it.
What inspired you to become an English teacher?
I was inspired by my PHS English teachers, Mrs. Odsather, Mr. Mitchell, Mrs. Mitchell, and Mr. Goularte. I thought they were the coolest and smartest people on the planet (and they are). Now it’s awesome that they are my friends and colleagues. I was also inspired to become a teacher because I adored and respected my mom and I grew up watching her be an awesome teacher. I joke that I went into the family business of education.
What brought you back to Porterville High School?
Porterville High School means a lot to me; my parents met in Buck Shaffer’s band in the 1970s. So, I was raised to be a proud panther. I also had a great high school experience with amazing teachers and administrators. I love that our PHS community has a long legacy of alums serving as teachers and generations of students and staff carrying on important traditions. I love serving PHS and giving back to the community as an educator. Taking a job here was one of the best decision I’ve ever made, and I’m very happy to be here.
Fun fact: Ms. Padilla was in CSF and was a valedictorian. (She wants you to join CSF too! See Ms. Avina for more information.)
