The Bay Area and Rocklin have many differences, but Mr. Kyle Connors continues to face the same issue: traffic.
“My biggest struggle is that I can’t tell where the traffic is. I live in downtown Sacramento so that’s a traverse. Galleria is the best bet that I have, I know there is going to be traffic right around the Galleria, but beyond that it’s awful.”
One of the main reasons for Connors moving to the Sacramento area was because his partner had taken a job for the California Department of Health. Connors was then drawn to this school because of its relation to his past school and its performance.
“Whitney was one of the better schools. It was most similar to where I had previously come from [Northgate High School]. I also saw that it was a good high performing school while I was looking at the U.S. News and the rankings of the high schools,” Connors said.
Connors, who has always claimed to be an avid reader, says reading has helped inspire him to become a teacher.
“I always, always, always liked reading. I think in high school I had a teacher say that I was good at it. That sort of affirmation that you kinda like doing and then somebody said you’re good at it, that combination set me off, I suppose, down that path,” Connors said.
Through his love of books, Connors read about travel and then learned to love the experience as well.
“I thought that traveling only occurred in a book. And then I got a salary and realized you could actually travel. And you can travel and actually learn the literature and how it shapes the people of various different places. You might just find that you walk by something Edgar Allen Poe might have written about. It almost always adds depth to your travels.” he said.
With education always evolving, Connors believes that the diversity in assignments is pushing students in a positive direction.
“You guys do more now. We made papers, we wrote essays. Now you guys are like making style handbooks and group projects, presentations. The products are way more diverse. English class is not just an essay writing class now,” Connors said.
Students provide their personal insight on Connors and how they feel about him so far.
“He is always very energetic and when the class seems very down and tired, he’s always there to pump up the class,” Lyna Guevara said.
Colby Patel goes more in depth about how he finds Connors to be understanding and helpful when it’s comes to stress outside of the classroom.
“He knows about teenagers lifestyles. He’s kind of accepting of what we are doing. He knows we are taking other classes and are stressed about other things, but he’s understanding about it,” Patel said.

by JADEA TISDALE, BRENDEN JACOBY, ARIANNA RASOOLI, ALICIA CHO, PAULINA SOLORZANO