A balance of educational and athletic experience

In just two years, science teacher Cesar Mendoza has taught geometry, algebra, chemistry, physical science, biology, and advanced biology at Ephrata High School. Mendoza is bringing his wide array of teaching experience to WHS this school year. As an all-around teacher, he also is an all around sportsman, having competed on intramural volleyball, basketball, and soccer teams; and coached the Ephrata distance runners. He is an avid fisherman as well.

Mendoza’s passion for fishing stems from his youth in Manson, where he could walk down to Lake Chelan to fish.   

“The summers were awesome. You could just walk down to lake every single day and do some fishing,” Mendoza said. “[Now] fly fishing is becoming one of my favorites because you’re always doing something. It’s more interactive, you are always trying to get the fly in the right spot.”

Before teaching, Mendoza attended Central Washington University, where he graduated in 2013 with a bachelor degree in chemistry and a specialization in biochemistry. He also earned an education degree in science. Mendoza is teaching Biology in the LGI this year, but hopes to eventually teach chemistry.

“I like chemistry because you get to know why [things] happen down to the molecular level,” Mendoza said.

For Mendoza, one of the largest changes from Ephrata (3A) to WHS (4A) was the size difference. Compared to Ephrata, there are far more teachers and larger departments.

“[WHS] is a big school. Right now I don’t even know half the teachers’ names,” Mendoza said. “When I was in Ephrata, I knew all the teachers. I knew what they [taught], and I knew their hobbies.”

Mendoza also talks about the difference in his teacher-student relationship within the school at WHS.

“Here, I don’t know all the students. [At Ephrata] I knew every single student by their name, because it was smaller. Here, not so much. I walk down the hallway and students don’t even know that I am a teacher. I have to carry this,” Mendoza said as he gestured towards his teacher ID badge hanging around his neck.

Throughout his transition to WHS, Mendoza has found support from the science department, as well as teachers outside of his department.

“So far the science department [has been] really welcoming. [Coming to WHS] was not as daunting as I thought it was going to be,” Mendoza said. “People are very supportive, so I don’t feel like I’m treading water. I feel like I have people there for me and that’s really important, especially if you’re a new teacher in a gigantic school.”