Tamara Mcmanaman: 

Q: Who is the biggest role model in your life and why?

A: My biggest role models are my mom, who raised two girls on her own while working full-time as a nurse and managing acres of land, and my 8th and 11th grade English teachers, who genuinely cared about their students while bringing their passion for language arts to the classroom every day.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

A: Just one place? I’d like to go everywhere! This week it’s the Quinta da Regaleira in Portugal with ornate connected gardens above and below ground.

Raquel Montoya: 

Q: Do you have any special talents?

A: I’m a great cook and I was actually a musical theater major initially.

Q: What do you think is the best part about the subject you teach?

A: Shakespeare; I like teaching the deeper meaning of his works and seeing how students respond and enjoy the text in a way they never thought they would.