(Article 25 of August; Q&A )
by Samuel Torres
Interview; JC Marquez (Am/Adv Comp English teacher)
This article was all provided with questions and direct answers from the teacher himself, JC Marquez. Since he is new to El Diamante we wanted to know more about his education and any sort of facts we can get to learn more about him. Furthermore, let’s get into the life of JC Marquez.
Q; How long have you been in the education business? Have you taught all grades?
- “I’m now entering my fifteenth year (wait a minute–fifteen years?) as a teacher. I’ve taught all grades between 7th and 12th grade.”
Q; Where did you start and what other schools have you taught?
- “I began my teaching career in 2006 at Renaissance High School for the Arts in Long Beach, CA. I have also taught at Los Alamitos, Beverly Hills, Tustin, and Santa Ana. As a result, I have the entire Southern California freeway system engraved in my memory banks.”
Q; Do you have any hobbies or any things you like to do in your spare time?
- “I an avid gamer. Growing up in Southern California, it was impossible not to run into an arcade cabinet in convenience stores and laundromats. Most kids in other places grew up with baseball and football. I grew up with Atari 2600 and the Nintendo Entertainment System. I also love anime, comic books, and horror movies. Halloween is a huge deal for my wife and kids! Pro Wrestling and NHL hockey is a massive part of my life as well. Besides working as an educator, I work as a voice actor for video games, educational software, and industrial projects. I grew up with Jim Henson, Mel Blanc, June Foray, Rob Paulsen, Stan Freberg, Maurice LaMarche, and Mark Hamill voicing my childhood. Being able to do that as an adult–working at Disney Animation Studios and providing dialogue for video games–is nothing short of a dream come true.”
Q; Are you married and have any kids?
- “My wife and I have been married for eight years. She is the reason we moved to Visalia, actually. She is a professor at College of the Sequoias teaching the Physical Therapy Assistants’ program. If anyone is in the STRONG Academy, there is a great chance they will have her class in the near future. My wife and I have two amazing daughters–a five year-old and a two year-old. LOL Dolls, Barbie dolls, and My Little Ponies are a permanent fixture in our home.”
Q; What’s your favorite experience so far at El Diamante?
- “Last Friday’s Club Rush. There were over eighty students who visited and signed up for our Gaming/eSports club. Mr. Arruda and I want to build the best eSports program in all of Visalia Unified, and to see so many students passionate about gaming made me incredibly happy.”
Q; Is there anything you would like to share with the students and staff at El diamante?
- “I am committed to make sure every student who comes into my classroom gets the best education I can possibly offer and have fun while doing so. To say that I am happy to be part of the Miner Nation would be a huge understatement.”
Let’s make this year be the best year for Mr. Marquez as it is his first in El Diamante High School. Give him a warm welcome and let’s enjoy having the chance to learn from the best of the best English teachers.
