In the spirit of appreciating teachers and all they do for us, especially in times of a pandemic, Canyon students shared a time in which a Canyon teacher inspired them in their high school years.

Ron Espiritu, Graduate

“A time when a teacher has inspired me at Canyon was in my sophomore year where Mrs. May, the choir teacher, told me that I should trust myself more and have more confidence. My lack of self-confidence was a huge problem for me at first, but her words were able to reach me, and I’ve been able to improve myself as a person and open up new horizons through this newfound self-confidence.”

Anonymous CHS Student

“Sophomore year with Mrs. Amaya. I sat in the front row, and I don’t think I’ve seen someone with as much passion for teaching as her. She truly lights up the room with her lectures. I went from having her to the start of my day (zero period) to having her at the end of my day. There was never a dull moment nor a time where I wasn’t excited to go to class. She became a great role model to me. Not only was she kind, compassionate, and caring, but she seemed like she taught from her heart, and it inspired me to want to have something where I could be just as passionate!”

Arianna Abidi, Sophomore

“A time when a Canyon teacher inspired me was the second day of school in my zero period with Mrs. Payton. She was doing a PowerPoint telling us all about her life. Seeing how she accomplished so much in a more male-populated major was so inspiring to me. Along with that, she always goes out of her way for her students, while being a mom to her baby, and doing everything with a smile on her face. Mrs. Payton’s drive and kindness inspires me everyday to be a better person and to accomplish my goals.”

Ashley Harkcom, Graduate

“A teacher that has inspired me is Mr. Bushman. He always has a great attitude and is very positive. He truly does care about all of his students, as he would do his best to help anyone if they were confused or needed help. His AP Biology and IB Biology classes were challenging, but they showed me that I love biology and would love to teach it someday, as well.”

Krikor Kazanjian, Graduate

“I would say Mrs. Miller because she has instilled a sense of determination in me and to chase the dreams and goals that I want to chase myself, while making sure that I’m living a happy life. She taught me to focus on the present rather than always focusing on the future.” 

Brooke Nguyen, Senior

“There have been many times teachers have inspired me. I can’t name one specifically, but throughout my three years, all my teachers have encouraged me to have faith in myself and go with my instinct. I have always been shy and not the most confident. On some occasions, it even shows in my assessments when I become indecisive on two answers. They realize what is going on, so they tell me to trust myself and go with the one that I believe is the choice. With them telling me this, it gives me more trust in myself, and I look up to them for that.”