Gary grew up and attended school in Carmel, California. His father was an elementary and middle school teacher for 32 years. Gary grew up admiring how his father treated his students and saw how much they respected his father. Consequently, Gary decided early in his life that he, too, wanted to become a teacher.
After graduating from Monterey High School, Gary went on to earn his BA in English from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, his teaching credential from Chapman University and his Masters Degree in Teaching from Grand Canyon University.
Like his father, Gary spent his first thirteen years teaching at the Middle school before moving to Monterey High School where he has been teaching for seventeen years. Gary’s expressed desire is to make every day in the classroom better for the students than the day before.
Gary teaches Expositor Reading and Writing for seniors, English Honors and an English Language Development course for sophomores. In 2016, 100% of Gary’s Expository Reading and Writing students were accepted to four year colleges and universities. This is particularly noteworthy because a number of these students are undocumented and began the school year never having thought of college as a possibility. This is the reason Gary teaches and asks for the classes with students who need the most help. The reason he teaches is to make their possibilities realities.
In 2013, Gary received the Allen Griffin Award for Excellence in Teacher and has also received the Sylvan Learning Center Teacher of the Month Award.
-Published 2016
