Ms. Andrea Page, Spanish Teacher:

What is your favorite part of the day?

“My favorite part of the day changes sometimes. On days when I don’t have to get up and be somewhere, I like mornings when I get to get up, make some coffee, meditate or read. And then on days when I have to get up and be somewhere, my favorite part is in the evenings when I am by myself, either just being quiet or playing guitar.”

What are your goals in life?

“At this point in my life, my goal is to make it to 60 because I’m 59; that will be next year in March. My other goal short-term wise is to retire from teaching, sooner rather than later, and spend time doing some of the things I like to do besides teaching. Playing music, creating art, and more traveling.”

What would you like people to know about you?

“Many people know that I have a child with special needs, now an adult. People always tell me  how strong I am and I would want them to know that I am not as strong as they think I am. Even though it seems like that, it has been really difficult for me to raise my son.”

What is something you are struggling with right now?

“At the top of the list right now is that I have been a smoker most of my life, off and on in different times. At the moment I have 60 days that I haven’t smoked a cigarette, but I am struggling a lot with it. On a larger scale, I am struggling with the situation with my son who has moved to a home further away and struggling with what my role in his life is going to be as he becomes an adult. I’m just sort of sitting in it trying to figure out whether this is going to be the best living situation for him or not. It’s been a holding pattern right now. I don’t really have any good answers right now.”

Any advice that you’d like to share with students?

“There’s two things. I tell this to my students a lot because I was a student too. In high school, I didn’t really get the grades because I was lazy and if I didn’t like the teacher, I just didn’t do the work and I didn’t get the grade. I was that kind of student. I graduated from high school with a 2.66 GPA which limited me as to my options for college since I didn’t really have much guidance. 

I always tell students that I’ve done really stupid and dangerous stuff in my life. But the one thing that I regret the most is not doing better in high school, academic-wise. I could’ve had better options after I graduated. On a more immediate of what is going on with me right now: Don’t ever vape, do not put nicotine into your body. Don’t even start because that’s what I am struggling with right now and it’s really hard.”