Written by: Samantha Reed, Staff Writer
A former Poly Bear returns to inspire today’s students in the same halls she once walked.
Throughout Poly’s history, the school has become known for its alumni returning to give back to it as a teacher. Ms. Miramontes is now partaking in that tradition as she is coming back home as Poly’s new English teacher. Reflecting on her journey, she explained that while she has had many different jobs along the way, “they were just necessary steps to get to where [she] needed to be.” Ultimately, what brought her back to her alma mater was “to give back to [her] younger self”. She remembered how much guidance she needed as a student here, and now, as an adult with more skills and experience, she hopes to be that same support for her students.“ If I do that once every day,” she said, “I’m happy”.
When she was asked why she chose to teach English, she explained the little twist of fate that led her on this path. “I was almost was a history teacher because I love history,” she said, “but I was always subbing for English.” After several years of being a substitute, she realized that history can be connected to English. According to Ms. Miramontes, after seeing the activities and what was being taught, she discovered that one “can sneak in history into English really easily because all these books, especially world literature, are set in a different country.” She added that teaching English felt like a way to give students real-world skills in communication, and she provides an example of this, saying: “I used to work in keeping resources where I used to hire and fire a bunch of people for a big corporation… when you interview people, you realize… how you express yourself to other people really matters. In an interview, how you make eye contact, how you say your words, the words that you use, the verbs in your resume all matter. So I think that speaks to me… I want to be able to build people’s ability to speak, to listen, to read and to write. It’s so valuable anywhere you go.”
The connection Ms. Miramontes has with her students is unique. While Poly has many alumni who have returned to teach at their alma mater, her recent graduation gives her a more relatable and youthful perspective. Despite the changes made to Poly since she was a student, she understands firsthand what it feels like to be a Poly Bear. That relatability makes her approachable both inside and outside the classroom. She said she often reminds her students that “yes, I’m your teacher, yes, you’re my student, but we’re all humans outside of the classroom and inside.” She also shares details about her own life to connect with them: “I share that I used to be a barista and that I love coffee, [and] that I like to run. And I tell the runners in my class, please, ask me if I ran, like shame me into running.” Beyond finding common ground, Ms. Miramontes is invested because she loves her community. She explains that she wants her students to accomplish great things and stresses that the skills learned in school matter, even if school itself isn’t someone’s strength. “If you’re going to be in construction, you still have to know how to talk. You still have to know how to communicate and sometimes you [need to] write reports,” she asserts. “And I try to bring purpose into everything I do, like in the classroom.”
In response to the advice she would give to current students based on her experience when she attended Poly, it would be to put themselves out in the open. She expressed that during her high school experience, even though she was in AVID and a sport, she “was really shy” and “was too scared to put [herself] out there for activities.” She noted that even if it might seem scary at first it is much easier moving forward once that barrier of fear is passed.
From walking the same halls she once walked many years ago, going from class to class now unlocking the door to her own classroom, Ms. Miramontes is coming full-circle. Her journey from student to teacher is a testament to the lasting impact of this community and the passion she has for the nation’s youth. Poly welcomes Ms. Miramontes back on campus with open arms as a teacher ready to inspire the next generation rather than as a student. Once a bear, always a bear.