A teacher is defined as a person whose occupation is to instruct. However, a teacher is able to guide a student to success and inspire them with instruction in more ways than one can imagine. Emerson High School encompasses a variety of amazing teachers that continuously shape the future of education. The Computer Science Department is incredibly lucky to have such a teacher, Alec Salas, that cares about the students and the betterment of Emerson High School.
The story of his career not only began when he got hired, but really when he was inspired.
“Back in high school, I didn’t care too much about my education,” Salas said. “My math teacher saw potential in me. I found I really enjoyed learning and because I had that teacher role model that inspired me, I wanted to do the same for others.”
Salas’ desire to help others led him to taking a step forward towards his future career because of his newly discovered interests.
“I figured that computer science and math are pretty high-need areas, so I wanted to have an impact in these subjects that are considered traditionally difficult,” Salas said. “I got certified in mathematics and eventually in computer science, and I ended up here at Emerson to do Project-Based Learning.”
However, Salas continued to face challenges he had to overcome as he transitioned into a future career. Becoming a teacher did not come easy.
“I’d definitely say my biggest challenge was when I came in last year into a project-based campus having no idea what was going on,” Salas said. “ I figured out I need to work with what I’ve got and not reinvent the wheel. It got me through my first year and now I am much more confident in my abilities to make what I do here at Emerson my own.”
Persevering through obstacles like these allowed Salas to star in the district newsletter, be nominated for the Maverick Mindset Award for Impact, and lead the marvelous Maverick Casino for Emerson’s project showcase of 2024 to success.
Although, Salas recognizes his greatest achievement is, “Coming to Emerson and being excited to make everyday an opportunity for [his] students.
His priority as a teacher is to take care of his students as he helped guide his students to the AP exams.
“That feeling seeing how relieved they were, hearing how they said, ‘That test was easy’, made me feel so good that even though it was my very first year, I was able to help them achieve their goals,” Salas said. “What I do want them to get out of it is that they survived this year and if they are passionate about the subject, their sense of self reassurance is able to lead them to success.”
A common top priority for a student in school is to pass their classes, and their teachers play a vital role in achieving this goal. The connection between a student and a teacher extends beyond the lesson they instruct.
“The most important thing to being a good teacher is being able to listen to the students’ needs and respond accordingly instead of being just an authority figure,” Salas said. “A good teacher can make or break a subject, and I believe that the ability to build those relationships is what truly makes that class experience.”
Teachers around the world are able to make an impact on the society around them, and it’s often been said that teachers are the jobs that create jobs.
“I think that the impact of a teacher extends beyond that,” Salas said. “Is it the job that creates jobs? Of course, although, taking into account that we serve a special role in the community, we are role models and representatives in the classroom. I think that teachers genuinely change lives.”
