Crystal Guevara, Mt. SAC Early College Academy’s (MECA) Math and Study Skills teacher has been teaching here since the 2021-2022 school year, although she has been teaching for a total of ten years.
Before coming to MECA, she was used to teaching middle school classes. Growing up, Guevara found that English wasn’t her strongest subject, but math came easily to her. “I think, just, like , growing up, I wasn’t really good at English. So, I think, like, Math came easier for me,” she shared, “it’s pretty fun to think of math as a puzzle. It has different components and then it’s very satisfying once you … finish it.”
Her passion for teaching sparked in high school when her pre-calculus teacher went on maternity leave, and she stepped in to help classmates understand the material. “[A]nd I would be the one teaching everybody how to do the pre-calc. So I think ever since then, … it’s pretty cool. So I wanted to be a teacher.”
The reason why she wanted to teach study skills is that she wanted to create the same environment for her own students, somewhere they feel comfortable learning and growing, “I really liked providing a space for other students that they feel comfortable in and they feel into, and study and do study like that, to sum all of that up, a safe [place].”
When comparing her experiences teaching at MECA to her previous work in middle school, Guevara finds high school students to be more mature and aware of their learning.
“High schoolers are a lot more logical,” she says, which makes it easier to have meaningful conversations and dive deeper into the material. She enjoys seeing the passion that many students at MECA bring to their studies, whether it’s in math, esports, comics or anime.
Before becoming a teacher, Guevara envisioned herself working as a voluntary person, supporting youth and supporting mental health. Her passion for helping others stems from a deep desire to make a positive impact in the lives of those who may need support.
“I like working with youth and being an advocate,” she explains, adding that she could see herself in a social justice career. Helping others, particularly in unprivileged communities, has always been an essential part of Guevara’s personal mission. While teaching gives her the opportunity to guide students in their academic journeys, she also hopes to one day extend her impact through other places of studies.
Similar to the community in her workplace, growing up, she had a very close relationship with her family. Specifically, her mom and sister. Her mom came to America from Guatemala and that made her a very big enthusiast of Guevara’s education. Her mom was only able to attend the fifth grade, and she wanted Guevara to live out the American dream.
As for her sister, she has a very close relationship with her as well. “She was… like a very big mentor,” Guevara stated. Elaborating on her relationship with her sister, she said how, “[She] really didn’t like her when [she] was in highschool,” but as they’ve grown up, they’ve become best friends. “I still call her for help and stuff like that.”
