Rosary has brought in some great new teachers for this school year. Although we are not fully back to normal due to the pandemic, our new teachers are doing an amazing job with our hybrid model of learning by staying positive and continuing to inspire students. One of our newest teachers, Ms. Torres, has recently joined Rosary’s English department and is sharing her love of literature with her students. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Torres and getting to know a little bit more about her.

Q: Where were you born and raised?

A: I was born in the city of Orange, and I was raised in the city of Anaheim. I’m an Orange County girl, I’d rather be at the beach than anywhere else.

Q: Did you attend Catholic school growing up?

A: I didn’t go to a Catholic school. I went to school all throughout the Placentia Unified School district. For high school, I went to Valencia. I was raised Catholic and did a lot of faith-filled summer camps. Public school was a good experience, but now teaching at a Catholic all-girls school, I wish my parents would’ve given me a Catholic education.

Q: Where did you go to college?

A: I went to Cal State Long Beach University. Before that, I spent some time at Santiago College. Now, I’m getting my masters in Urban Education at LMU.

Q: What drew you to teaching English?

A: Honestly, growing up, my favorite place was the library because I love to read. I always wanted to do something that involved books and discussing them. I had a really awesome English teacher in high school, and I gained a lot of inspiration from him. I kind of realized I wanted to be an inspiration for students to find the importance of reading, and I’ve made it my mission.

Q: What drew you to teaching at Rosary?

A: I grew up in the community and was lucky enough to be exposed to the all-female education having taught at Connelly. I knew I wanted to continue teaching at a school that gives students such great opportunities, and it’s a huge privilege to teach the Catholic all-girls education. I know many people who attended Rosary, I can tell they’re happy and successful in life because of the culture here. The biggest thing as a teacher is loving the school you work at, and at Rosary that’s a really easy thing to do.

Q: Besides your love of teaching, what are some of your hobbies?

A: I love the outdoors. I try to spend my weekends camping, going to the beach, or hiking. Nothing beats a day at the beach with a good book for me. I’m a person who wants to know and learn more, so any time I can spend reading a good book, especially in nature, is great for me.

Q: Which movie sequel do you wish you could erase from history?

A: Any of the sequels to classic Disney films. I just feel like classics are so good and original. The classics should be left alone.

Q: When you’re having a bad day, what do you do to make yourself feel better?

A: Being totally transparent here, I love to nap. I feel like a lot of the time we have to listen to our bodies. A lot of issues can be solved by napping. Even when I’m super busy, I always make time to nap.

Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of?

A: I’m most proud of being a teacher. I gained a lot of wisdom and did really well in high school in college, but now I feel like I get to share that wisdom with others. I get to educate students and help them find their love for English and literature. It’s just a really special thing.

Ms. Torres is very excited to continue to get to know her students and share her love for English with them. I know I’m thrilled to see Ms. Torres become a part of the Rosary community and continue to make this school a great place. If you see Ms. Torres on campus, please make sure to say hi and give her a warm welcome.