As the 2017-2018 school year comes to a close, we must say goodbye to many of the wonderful teachers that have been deeply involved in our community for years. One of these teachers is Ms. King, who has been a Spanish teacher at Analy since 2005. In her years at the the school, she’s taught Spanish 1, 2, and 3, but Ms. King’s path to becoming an educator was not straightforward – it involved many stops along the way. She lived in San Diego, San Francisco, Arcata, and Truckee before settling in Sonoma County. After high school, Ms. King did not head directly to a four-year university. Instead, she travelled, took various classes, and became involved in both the wine and fashion industries. After dabbling in those, she returned to her higher education at Humboldt State University to major in Spanish. While there, she had the opportunity to participate in an immersion program in Oaxaca, Mexico, for 8 months. Following her return and graduation from Humboldt, she earned her teaching credential at Sonoma State University.

Ms. King has been involved in the Analy High School community for the years she has been here. She has especially made her mark with her leadership of Global Glimpse – a two-week summer program that allows students to volunteer in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. “I saw a growth in their confidence and world view. This is the first time out of the country for many of the students and Global Glimpse has a very positive impact on them,” she commented. Ms. King herself has attended a few of these programs, chaperoning trips to León and Granada, Nicaragua, as well as San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic. “Travel has brought so much growth and joy into my life, and I want others to be able to see this great world as well.” Hopefully, this program will be continued at Analy for many years to come.

This summer, Ms. King will finally be able to complete a dream of hers: to travel to Spain. “I will have five weeks to travel all over the country and see as much as I can. I’ve always dreamed about going to Spain.” After her Spanish excursion, King plans to move to one of Mexico’s states: Baja California Sur. In fact, she already owns a house right near the beach. “Everything fell into place,” she commented. After visiting Baja many times over the years, it finally became time for Ms. King to continue her life there. After her first few visits, she said she told herself I want to live here someday. After getting settled in Baja and relaxing on the beach, King said she wants to see more of Mexico. She also wants to start a business or get a job there. Though she does not know for sure what she plans to do, she mentioned a turtle hatching sanctuary as well as trying to encourage immersion for American students down in Baja California. “My goal is to help students to travel and experience other cultures” she explained. King said that she is not retiring, she is just moving on to the next part of her life.

Being an avid member of the Analy community, Ms. King says that “It’s really hard to let go. I have a strong connection to Sonoma County. It is an amazing place [that] I will always consider home.” She said the level of support at Analy is wonderful, referring to the amazing students and coworkers she has.

A teacher as involved as Ms. King will be greatly missed. King made a last remark, saying, “If you’re ever in southern Baja, you know where to find me.” Hopefully, she will be able to make as much of a positive impact in Baja California as she has in our own Sonoma County.