Desert Dialogues spotlight: Indio High junior finds joy and empowerment in color guard
Last week's Desert Dialogues prompt, inspired by Mary Barsaleau's article about a pickleball player's reflection on the sport's impact at a local park, along with insights from a past Desert Dialogues winner, invited students to discuss the unique programs at their schools and how these initiatives have enriched their lives.
Congratulations to Derrick Castillo, the third Rajah to be selected by our readers for the Desert Dialogues spotlight. First identified as Student A, the junior reflected on the transformative power of winter guard, an indoor color guard sport and performance art.
"This program has impacted my life by allowing me to mature in a place where I feel comfortable," Castillo wrote. "Being able to release any emotions I feel on the floor during the performance is what allowed me to become the person I am."
Learn more about this week's spotlighted student below:
Q&A with Derrick Castillo from Indio High School
What's a song that you're playing on repeat?
"4real" by Steve Lacy
What are you proudest of?
I am proudest of my friends. They have all achieved so much, and I hope they continue to grow.
What would you like to be known for?
I would like to be known as someone who encouraged and helped others to create and enjoy art. (Castillo reestablished the art club at his high school.)
Who has been one of the most impactful teachers or coaches you've had?
The most impactful teacher I have ever had is my former color guard instructor, Reyna Castro. She encouraged me to become the best person I could possibly be.
We extend our gratitude to the high school students whose responses we published last week:
Camila Alvarez-Fuentes, Indio High School
Adela Muñoz-Hernández, Desert Mirage High School
Edgar Oros, Desert Mirage High School
Brianna Solis, Rancho Mirage High School
More: Making school special: Vote for the best response to this week's Desert Dialogues
Since this marks the second-to-last Desert Dialogues poll of the school year and coincides with Teacher Appreciation Week, this week's question pays tribute to the educators in the Coachella Valley who consistently amplify our students: Tell us about a teacher or coach who has made a positive impact in your life and why. What did they do or say that really stuck with you? How did they help you grow?
Just as we do with our Athlete of the Week, readers get to vote in a poll (found at the bottom of this story) for the response that resonated with them the most. To maintain an even playing field, we will initially keep the identities of the participating students anonymous. The student who receives the most votes will be "revealed" in a story the following Monday.
Read on for this week's responses, which have been edited for clarity, and vote for the one that resonated with you the most by 4 p.m. on Friday. And don't forget to thank a teacher this week.
Student A
"Excellence is our minimum standard" is my high school's symphony band ethos, or more so, our band director, Mr. Howe’s ethos, which has been stated to each student, and for good reason. Through Mr. Howe, I’ve come to settle for nothing but the best — be it the way I play music or the way I carry myself. Though some may feel that he expects too much of his students, I beg to differ. He is the sole reason I have stayed motivated throughout my high school career, always expressing compassion and trust in his students. It’s no secret that careers in music and arts have been inherently exclusive as the price for reeds, lessons, and instruments has forever remained costly.
However, Mr. Howe has never hesitated to offer a helping hand to students who do not have the privilege of owning their own instruments or paying $140 worth of lessons each month, which would set me behind other students who are able to afford such commodities. He even goes to lengths as far as to spend countless hours of rehearsal with each band at our school, which he does not get compensated for. Most importantly, he has taught me what it truly means to play music, which is more than simply reading the notes on the page. Symphony and marching band are places where I truly feel I belong, where no matter how hard or how much I say 'I’ll quit,' I never do, and I don’t plan on doing so anytime soon.
Student B
'No, jovencitos, aquí se viene a aprender,' is one of Mrs. Rochin’s famous quotes — a saying I couldn't possibly dare to forget. Taking her AP Language and Culture class when I was a sophomore was really intimidating since the curriculum itself was overwhelming, but somehow she was able to structure it for us to understand. Despite the stress in her class with tasks that were new to me, I was able to gain life skills and get out of my comfort zone while also having the opportunity to form a special bond with her.
Mrs. Rochin has been a respectful teacher whom I truly admire. Not only was she patient, but she was also understandable. Even though she did have expectations and wanted nothing less than perfection, it was stressful, but it was just what was expected of us. Hearing her praise and her constant motivation for her students while going out of her way to build our parents' values for us to pass the test encouraged me to not disappoint her. Constant practice, worksheets, presentations, activities and feedback really helped me increase my public speaking and critical thinking. I was able to pass the AP test, and just being able to tell her was really prideful and exciting. Mrs. Rochin’s advocacy when it came to women's empowerment was really inspiring; her sense of awareness of the lack of injustice among labor was influential. This inspired me to never get discouraged and just follow my path for success.
Student C
The teacher whom I would like to take time to appreciate is Mr. Kreps, whom I've known since my freshman year. He is also the head leader of the Green Academy program, and I have had him for three years now. Over the course of those three years, I have really gotten the chance to know him more than just a teacher. Mr. Kreps is a genuine person, very honest and a man of his word.
He has taught me the value of giving your word and getting out of your shell. For example, when Mr. Kreps promised me a field trip to Ultrasound Studios so I could gain a better understanding of the career I want to pursue, he made it happen. Even though we had some challenges, he was able to pull some strings and take us on that field trip. It was a fun adventure with him and my fellow classmates who were also interested. I never really had any close friendships with any of my teachers; most of my teachers just forgot about me. But with Mr. Kreps, he saw me for me and really helped develop my personality in order to come out of my shell. For instance, in his class, we do a lot of presenting and speaking in front of others. Over time, this has helped me loosen up more as a person. I have a feeling of belonging and acceptance in his classroom. Furthermore, Mr. Kreps has really made a positive impact on my personality and has helped me to overcome my shyness and put myself out there.
Student D
A teacher who has made a positive impact on my life was my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Siegrist. This is because, even if she did not know exactly what I was going through or what I was thinking, she always showed grace toward me and offered encouraging words when no one else did. She made me feel like someone cared about me when I had no friends who really did. (Given it was the fifth grade, but not many fifth graders, hopefully, went through what I experienced.) I don't remember any specific words she said, but I remember how she made me feel.
Mrs. Siegrist made a huge impact on my past and current life beyond the fifth grade. I am more confident with myself, I have friends who care about me and whom I care about, I have been able to work through my problems (which my parents had a hard time admitting I even had or needed help with), and I have learned how to use them to my advantage. After all these years, today I feel like a better person and wish I could show my old teacher how much gratitude I have for her. I want to thank her with every part of me for being there, but I have no way to contact her. Maybe one day in the future fate will allow us to meet again, and I can show her the person I have become.
Student E
I've had multiple teachers throughout high school who have impacted my life in different ways. But a very unique and special teacher whom I will always cherish, and who has made a positive impact on my life, is Mrs. Tafoya-Tapp. She was my English teacher sophomore year, my AP English junior year teacher and has been my AVID teacher for the past three years of high school. As an AVID teacher, she does a wonderful job of staying on top of her students' grades. Thanks to her, I am the person I am today. She brings a happy and positive attitude to her classroom every day, which always makes my days better. Her classroom feels like home and comfort.
She has helped me grow as a student and as a person in life. Mrs. Tafoya-Tapp has always supported me academically by teaching me how to write proper synthesis and argumentative essays, which I had no idea how to write before her AP English class. She has also supported me emotionally whenever she sees me down in class or acting differently. I feel safe enough with her to open up about my problems, and the outcome is always her giving me the best advice, not only as a teacher but as a friend. Most importantly, she has helped me grow in knowledge of success and has never failed to encourage me to be the best version of myself. She pushes me every day to pursue my goal, which is graduating high school with a 4.0 GPA and attending a four-year university. I owe her most of what I am today.
Student F
Mr. Vargas, my seventh grade environmental science teacher, positively impacted me and my education about the planet. Upon first entering his class, I had no knowledge of what type of topics we would discuss, and frankly, since it was an elective class, I was not thrilled because I already had another science class. My pessimistic attitude was completely eradicated after the first week. Instead of feeling forced to be in his class, I actually started looking forward to his lectures. Mr. Vargas made his classes fun with his energetic and artistic approach to environmental science.
His class opened my eyes to our world; for example, he taught me about nonrenewable and renewable sources, food webs, national parks, and much more, all of which was unknown to me before. He also introduced us to KidWind to build wind turbines, and I participated in it with some of my friends. It was a fun experience, and his dedication paid off because due to our KidWind project, we were going to be flown out to keep competing. However, that’s when the smoke accidents and COVID cases occurred throughout the school year, and we could not continue competing. Despite all this, when we started transitioning to online classes, Mr. Vargas kept prioritizing both the well-being and education of his students. When I graduated middle school, he had influenced me greatly that in high school, I enrolled in Green Academy to continue environmental studies.
Student G
Entering the fourth grade, I was already an avid reader; reading was something I had picked up a couple of years prior. But in the fourth grade, I grew especially fond of reading, and it wasn't just me; it was my entire fourth grade class. Mrs. Biggert was the teacher who enticed a love and passion for reading. Every morning, there was designated time for us to read individually, and every afternoon, we read a book as a class. That year, I read a surplus of books, and probably now, after all those years, I can give a summary and the best moments of those books. I wasn’t reading for a grade like I had to do in previous years. I was reading because I enjoyed it, and I greatly benefited from it.
Fourth grade was about seven years ago, and my personal library has grown since. I have books ranging from topics like fairy adventures (books I owned in the second grade) to stories based on wars and intersectional topics. Every book purchased or given to me is on a shelf or sitting on my desk. Most of them have been read, and many of them hold memories from when they were purchased. Mrs. Biggert didn’t throw pointless books at us or go on and on about how books are wisdom. She simply let us read what we enjoyed, and she shared books that highly interested us. She taught me that reading isn't just to educate yourself and that reading holds more value than just knowledge. Because of Mrs. Biggert, I still enjoy reading and partake in it every day. And every now and again, I think about her and that classroom that allowed me to truly enjoy it.
Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Teacher Appreciation: Vote for your favorite response to this week's Desert Dialogues
