For Arlene Hernandez, teaching is a calling rooted in challenge. “I was drawn to the challenge. I see every student as an individual with their own set of strengths and struggles and I want to help them succeed,” she shared. 

Each day presents something new, and while that can be difficult, it’s also what excites her most about the work. “The biggest challenge is that no two days are the same. You have to be able to change things up,” she explained. 

Flexibility has become one of her greatest strengths, allowing her to meet students where they are and adapt to unexpected turns in the classroom.

Her advice to both herself and to anyone stepping into teaching is simple: never stop learning. “The best teachers are the ones who are always learning and remind yourself of the reasons you got into teaching,” she said.

“Dr. JW,” as she is known by students, is hardly a new teacher. For many students at Colton High, they will remember her science classes from when they were in middle school.

JW set high expectations for her students, inspiring them to strive for excellence while nurturing their curiosity and engagement.

With a strong desire to make a meaningful impact, JW emphasizes responsibility and critical thinking.

She dislikes it when his students repeatedly make poor decisions; that’s why she helps them learn and develop into thoughtful individuals.

Jara Williamson prefers that her students’ behavior not interfere with the learning of others.

A curious fact about our teacher is that she is a big fan of “Alice in Wonderland” and has many things related to that, like books that are inspired by the original. She also has figures and teapots.

As a first-year science teacher, Jarett Jones is full of excitement and passion for the job.

Jones passionately encourages students to embrace the journey of learning by trying new things, exploring diverse ideas, and asking insightful questions.

He believes in the importance of helping students become engaged members of society and value their own unique personalities, fostering an environment where everyone feels comfortable being themselves. “I expect them to try, to learn, to explore, to ask questions, to engage, and to try and become members of society with something to offer to the greater community.”

In addition to his enthusiasm for nurturing student growth, Jarret has a deep fascination with the study of plants and biodiversity. “Studying plants and biodiversity. In college, I worked in a collection greenhouse and was amazed at everything I set my eyes upon in the glasshouses. I don’t think the common man is aware of the beauty of life that surrounds them.”

His commitment to understanding the intricate relationships within ecosystems inspires his students to appreciate the natural world and recognize the vital role that diversity plays in sustaining life on our planet.

For Abraham McNally, this school year marks a major transition—from substitute teacher and classroom aide to full-time history teacher.

He credits those earlier experiences with preparing him for the demands of running his own classroom. “My time as a substitute teacher gave me valuable hands-on experience with classroom management and building relationships with students,” he explained.

But what truly fuels his teaching is his love for history. “History for me is all about storytelling and I love telling stories. Finding out where we come from, and why the world is the way it is,” he said.

His goals for his first year are clear: “My main goal for students is to build their critical thinking skills and help them see history as relevant to their lives, not just something to memorize. I want them to feel confident analyzing sources, forming arguments, and making connections across time.”

For himself, he hopes to grow alongside his students. “My goal is to continue growing as an educator . . . Ultimately, I want to create a classroom culture where students feel safe, curious, supported, and challenged.”

Brand new P.E. teacher Moira O’Neill loves bringing people together.

You can see this through her love for sport. Her favorite is soccer. “I played soccer my whole life and I’ve met some of my best friends through playing the game,” she said. “The sport is played worldwide and brings so many people together.”

She wanted to become a P.E teacher because of her past P.E teachers. Combined with her love for sports and helping others with health and wellness, she says “I found the perfect career for me.”

One of her out of school hobbies is to go to the gym and stay active. Another thing she likes is country music.

Alexander Ramos truly enjoys helping others with special needs.

The eight-year veteran went and changed his job this year. For the past seven years, he has been teaching SDC courses for students with mild-to-moderate disabilities. This year, however, he has turned his attention to those with more severe disabilities.

In Ramos’ class, students with disabilities succeed in an academic setting and enjoy opportunities for learning outside of the classroom, too.

Every week, they have a community day where they go off campus to practice social skills, life skills, and safety.

One of Ramos’ favorite aspects of his class is watching his students grow and learn. “I enjoy seeing students grow and learn at school. I love seeing them smile and have that ‘light bulb’.”

But also let’s not forget that Alexander Ramos is not only a dedicated special education teacher, he’s also a JV football coach who dedicates his time to mentoring young athletes, developing their skills, and fostering teamwork on and off the field.

Karina Ramirez is hardly a new teacher.

2025 marks her fourth year of teaching, but her first year here at Colton High School. When asked about what she likes about CHS, she said, “I love the community, staff, and students.The kids here are very well behaved and the staff is so supportive.”

Ramirez wanted to become a science teacher because she wanted to share her passion for science with students. She is excited to prepare and show her students what careers in science look like.

In her free time out of school she likes “to be with my family, my husband, and take my dog on walks.” Her dog’s name is Tito and he is a doberman. She listens to many different types of music, pretty much everything.

Ramirez reached her goal of becoming a science teacher after earning her teaching credentials from Cal State University Long Beach and her masters in STEM education from Cal State University San Bernardino. “I think I’m done,” she shared. “Ironically, I’m still in school, but not for me.”

One of the biggest changes at Colton High this year is the introduction of our new band director, Tyler Sampson.

This is Sampson’s first year as a teacher and he is responsible for shepherding a marching band, wind ensemble, and even teaching a guitar class!

Sampson says he is “excited and looking forward to starting this new school year here at CHS.”

He earned his degree in music composition at UC Riverside. Over the years, Sampson has held a variety of jobs from flipping pizzas at Pizza Hut, working in an Amazon factory, to back-breaking work in construction.

However, Sampson had loftier goals. “I ultimately wanted to teach,” he said. So Sampson got his masters in teaching from the University of Redlands.

Sampson started playing music, first as a drummer, but later on switched to guitar. He has been playing guitar for 15 years. One of his favorite bands is Thank You Scientist.

Jake Waddell is one of the two new Special Education teachers at Colton High this year. For Waddell, his reason for becoming a teacher was about more than just the grades and tests.

“The reason I wanted to become a teacher was to help students become young adults that can thrive once they enter society.”

He continued, “I believe in academics, but I believe as teachers we do much more than that. We help build foundational skills that students can take throughout their entire life to help them succeed not just in school, but all aspects of their lives.”

Waddell’s focus on building skills for students drives him every day. However, this path isn’t without its difficulties. One of the challenges he’s had to face was figuring out what learning styles worked best for his students.

With Waddell’s optimistic persona, he manages his challenges, “Every job has hardships, but you sign up for this job to really maneuver through these obstacles,” he said. “Students face obstacles when they go home or in different parts of their lives, so I always remember we are doing this all together.”