Holy Cross Educators of the Year: Mrs. Parker & Ms. Alejo
By Mikayla Weiss, Sports Editor
[Photo credit: Matthew Tominaga]
This year, Moreau Catholic’s Kristen Parker and Kristie Alejo were voted by the student body as the winners of the Holy Cross Educator of the Year awards. The Mariner Explorer caught up with both honorees to hear their thoughts and reflections on this milestone moment.
Mrs. Parker is an art teacher and has been teaching at Moreau for 11 years. She grew up in Los Angeles and moved here after college.
Mikayla Weiss (MW): What were your initial thoughts when receiving the award?
Kristen Parker (KP): I knew something was fishy when I was ushered to the chairs to sit down and no one else was asked to sit down. I didn’t think anything at first when Mecca was reading things though. I eventually knew once she started talking about clay, so it was a nice surprise. I feel like it’s an honor. I’m proud that our art program is shining and successful right now, full of busy, productive and talented students.
[Photo credit: Matthew Tominaga]
MW: Where do you plan to place your award?
KP: Right now, it’s in my bedroom on my dresser, and I think I’m going to keep it there.
MW: What teacher inspired you to start teaching?
KP: I’d probably have to go all the way back to when I was little and watched my mom teach. I would often visit and help her. I saw how she was attentive to the students and their needs. I’m sure it influenced me to teach the way I teach now.
MW: What gets you pumped up for the work day?
KP: I’m a morning person so I wake up ready for the day mostly. I genuinely enjoy creating and designing with students. I feel like an art director in a classroom and It’s exciting to see something start as an idea and be pushed to new directions and levels. The pay off to me is when a student is pleasantly surprised with their own outcomes.
MW: Describe the perfect day at school.
KP: I open the kiln and there are no cracks or breaks in any pieces. Students are engaged in their projects and working hard to make fabulous artwork. They’re helping each other, and talk to each other with the vocabulary that we’re learning about. It’s great to have the artwork pinned up on the wall to reflect back all we’ve accomplished each day. A clean room to end the day would be the end of a perfect day.
MW: What are a few songs to start or end your work day?
KP: I like so many different types of music. One day I might be listening to country, another day classic rock or maybe current pop music. I also like 2000s hip hop and rap. Music is part of making art, they go hand-in-hand.
Ms. Alejo is Student Life and Activities Coordinator and has been teaching at Moreau for seven years. She’s an alumni of Moreau from the class of 2015. After earning her undergraduate degree, she started working at Moreau as a Holy Cross Fellow and has been here ever since.
MW: What were your initial thoughts when receiving the award?
Kristie Alejo (KA): Even though I was a part of the planning for Academic Assembly, I only had inklings the day of that I would be getting the award. Mostly because the script wasn’t shared with me and I only knew about the club awards. Once I saw Kaliyah walk up, that’s when I knew I was going to be chosen.
MW: Where do you plan to place your award?
KA: It’s currently in my office on one of my bookshelves. I need to clean my office a little bit more, but I want to make it prominent and visible on the bookshelf.
MW: What teacher inspired you to start teaching?
KA: One of them is Ms. Ann Khristine Tabora, the Director of Campus Ministry. The way that she cares for student leaders and makes them feel seen and heard is one thing that I wanted to make students feel.
MW: What gets you pumped up for the work day?
KA: Knowing that I’ve created a space where students feel safe to be themselves. On days where I don’t want to get up for work or leave my bed, knowing that I am that space for students helps me get up in the morning.
MW: Describe the perfect day at school.
KA: First, sleeping in until 6:15. I’d want to take my time getting ready. Pick up coffee on the way to work because I am the stereotype that if I don’t have coffee I will have a terrible day. I love when students come in–especially on a Monday morning–telling me about their weekends. I’d do announcements and answer emails. After I finish my to-do list for the day, I get to help around the school wherever I’m needed. There’s something about crossing off something on a to-do list that makes me feel accomplished.
MW: What are a few songs to start or end your work day?
KA: To start my work day it’s always been the same song that’s hyped me up for my high school and college volleyball games, called Latch by Disclosure and Sam Smith. To end the day I normally listen to any slow R&B music because I like to sing along and singing helps me stay awake as I’m starting to fall asleep at the end of the day.
[Sleepy doggy]
Lastly, Mrs. Parker and Ms. Alejo share a few words of wisdom to close the school year.
Kristen Parker: Strong endings matter. Make a list, write down daily to-do’s and end the year on a good note with teachers, classmates and friends.
Kristie Alejo: Don’t lose sight of the goals you set at the beginning of the year. Checking back on your lists and goals always helps, and when you are struggling or in the middle of senioritis, going back to those goals that you set will help you get through the rest of the year.