I grew up in the desert outskirts of El Paso, Texas, where I developed a lasting appreciation for the natural world, a love of language and photography, and an early interest in East Asian philosophy. I earned my degree from The University of Texas at El Paso and am now in my seventh year teaching English at Travis High School. This year marks my third teaching Creative Writing, a course that continually reaffirms my belief in the transformative power of words. Over time, I’ve come to view education as an act of relationship as much as intellect, and a space where connection deepens understanding. I often remind myself of a guiding truth: students seldom care how much you know until they know how much you care.