From Mexico to Alaska, CHS staff plan for summer

Published May 30, 2023

BY MINNA TROKEL 

As the school year winds to its end, the excitement and joy of summer break has spread across campus. From exploring new places to visiting well-loved hometowns, many are preparing for all the adventures the summer will hold. To any and all who are curious about how some of the Carmel High School staff will spend their summer, read on.

Lisa Brazil, principal’s secretary 

Principal’s secretary Lisa Brazil plans to tour Europe for five weeks with her husband, Carmel Middle School art teacher Jason Fosler, to check off some bullet points on their bucket list. They will spend a week in England and two in Slovenia and Croatia, exploring Slovenian mountains, Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast and trying unique cuisines.

John Clymer, computer science teacher

Motorcycle fanatic (and computer science teacher) John Clymer will rev his engine once again this summer to travel around the country in three different trips: a tour of four of Florida’s national parks with his wife, a motorcycle trip through the Midwest and a cruise to Alaska. Clymer and his wife plan to visit five national parks total as part of their plan to visit all 63 parks, of which they have already knocked off 33.

Lorena Cruz-Rodriguez, therapist 

Wellness Center mental health therapist Lorena Cruz-Rodriguez will take a road trip with her husband and kids to Tijuana, Mexico, to visit family in her hometown. Following this, they plan to fly to Oaxaca, trying new and delicious foods and visiting tourist attractions along the way.

Don Freitas, physics teacher

In a one-week program in mid-July, physics teacher Don Freitas will join a team of global educators to attend the International Physics and Astronomy Educator Program at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory in Hanford, Washington. The group will learn about modern physics and how it should be taught to high schoolers, mainly covering gravitational waves.

Debbie French, P.E. teacher

Physical education teacher Debbie French plans to spend her summer around San Luis Obispo county, visiting her hometown of Atascadero and other cities such as Paso Robles. She plans to spend the hot days lounging at the beach or pool, along with attending weekly free concerts and the California Mid-State Fair with friends.

Brent Silva, social studies teacher

Due to water damage from the March storms, social studies teacher Brent Silva will remodel one of his bathrooms, which was apparently already long overdue for a renovation. This will include new stone tiles for flooring, which will replace an old carpeted floor, that was at one point light beige.

Valerie Stack, library assistant

Library assistant Valerie Stack has dedicated eight days of her break to hiking in the Alaskan backcountry on an REI adventure trip, which she gets half off due to her 15 years of working part-time at the company. Along with eight strangers, Stack will explore ice caves and grassy mountains, all in the wilderness of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.

Diana Vita, account clerk

CHS account clerk Diana Vita will be upholding her 27-year streak of spending six weeks of her summer at a family-owned cabin on the edge of the Idaho Rockies. Accompanied by her family, Vita will hike, fish and pick huckleberries daily, as the isolated cabin has no power or Wi-Fi.