How many years have you worked at OHS, and in what roles?
Mr. Rick Garcia: “Since 1997 so for 27 years in Resource, SpED, history, and for the last 17 as athletic director. I also coached boys’ and girls’ water polo, swim, and volleyball.”
Mrs. Wendy Henchy “I started in the spring of 1990 and was teaching science. Then I became the activities director. I went on maternity leave and came back working in peer resources, and I continuously pursued AVID until I was finally able to teach it.”
Mr. Alfred Tarazon “I spent 23 years in PE and varsity baseball, and 39 teaching high school.”
Mr. Kevin Davis “Teacher for 14 years as a paraeducator in the nineties.”
Ms. Lori Rezel “I started teaching in North Carolina in 2007, and then came to California in 2016. I transferred from Channel Islands High School where I taught there for 5-6 years, and then spent three years at OHS teaching English 3.”
Mr. Bill Luftenburg “27 years as a custodian, assistant lead custodian, and lead custodian.
Mr. Agustin Lopez “32 years teaching math.”
What first brought you to OHS?
RG “I was teaching at Gabrielino High School. A friend interviewed here [OHS] but decided on the another school. I got the job here instead and got to live by the coast.”
WH “I graduated from Northridge and applied to the science opening here.”
AT “The position as the baseball coach opened up and I wanted to try something new.”
KD “ I transferred from CI.”
LR “Fate. I love it here. I spent 39 years teaching from pre-k to teaching adults.”
BL “I did nine months at Rio Mesa, and then transferred to Oxnard High School.”
AG “The prospect of a great life experience.”
How would you describe the school when you first started compared to now?
RG “It was much bigger and more crowded. There were about 3,000 students. [Now], it is much smaller and I know everyone by sight.”
WH “Starting on a new campus was nice. It didn’t have a football field, swimming pool, and kids didn’t have electronics. They were forced to talk to each other.”
AT ¨Not much has changed. There are always going to be good teachers and some not-so-good teachers, some good students and some not-so-good students.Behavior and academics are the same.¨
KD “ There was a different administration. The biggest draw in sports, you know, it’s ‘the Nard’.”
LR “There are behavioral differences, and it feels safer here compared to her other schools. In the South, teachers were not respected, but here I feel valued and respected.”
AL “Beautiful then, beautiful now.”
What is one memory from your time here that you’ll always carry with you?
RG “Going to finals with girls’ water polo. I played water polo in high school and it [girls’ water polo finals] was a dream come true. It was everything it was supposed to be.”
WH “Overnight field trips to colleges; in AVIS got in trouble for a Fun Friday out on the football field; being part of Homecoming Court.”
AT “Being able to have lunch with all my kids. All my kids are about 3-4 years apart so when Austin was a senior, Andrew was a freshman and they would come in at the beginning of lunch and eat with me because they wanted to, not because I forced them, but because they wanted to spend time with me. Now it’s sort of like a tradition and they wanted to embrace it.”
KD “Teaching AP history; prepping students for AP exams; Saturday study; announcing sports like basketball.”
LR “I’m proud of [students] progress like when they open up and see their worth and not what others say, how they face adversity and overcome challenges. There’s not one specific memory. It’s an accumulation of moments seeing them grow and reconcile their past.”
BL “Working with a distinguished staff.”
AL “Connecting with my students.”
Impact and Legacy
What do you hope students and colleagues remember most about you?
RG “Swim and water polo. To remember the history and to remember my sarcasm.”
WH “I put students first when it came to making decisions. I thought about the kids instead of what was easiest for me.”
AT “That I was fair and firm, treated everyone the same.”
KD “Don’t give up, keep on working and don’t stop.”
LR “I hope my students know I genuinely care and will carry that forward. I love connecting with students. I hope they remember me enjoying a good book and that students who thought they were bad writers became confident with their writing.”
BL “That I was an integral part of the educational process.”
AL “That I was connected to our system.”
Is there a particular moment when you really felt you made a difference?
RG “It’s always nice when kids come up, but they aren’t kids anymore, and they remember me.”
WH “When a former student came back and left me a note on my desk saying, ‘You saved my life.’ Unknowingly making an impact and having students come back and share things that I didn’t know were going on and [realizing] you touch every life but only impact some.”
AT “When I see past students or players and they say ‘hello’ while out and about, it makes me feel like I have made a difference.”
KD “I [helped] a kid who was going to juvie and I made him get his AA degree; he went to Cal State LA.”
LR “A student came to me and said they were drinking. I was worried they became an alcoholic (after graduating). She checked in [later to tell me she had] stopped drinking and started speaking with family.”
AL “When I started getting gratitude letters from my students.”
What has been the most rewarding part of your career?
RG “Just being here, feeling that I’ve done good things for the students and as a teacher, being positive.”
WH “Impacting lives and being able to see things that they could do that they couldn’t imagine. I always tell them, ‘I’m going to believe in you till you believe in yourself.’”
AT “All of it. I love my job. Making an impact and talking to students and giving them compliments as well as creating relationships is my favorite part of the job. I love being encouraging.”
KD “Telling students the reality of life versus what the media says. It is important to save them from the game and to ignore the noise.”
LR “I love spending the day with wonderful people and getting along with colleagues. I feel inspired by them, knowing they were going to make me better. I love the kids´ commitment. As teachers, you never know that you could be the best part of a student’s day.”
BL “Making a difference in the life of a child.”
AL “To have awakened my students’ minds to the great possibilities and opportunities ahead of them. And to teach them courage and responsibility as they experience life.”
Reflections and Lessons
How has working in education (or your specific role) changed you as a person?
RG “They keep me young. I don’t feel old.”
WH “I’ve become more patient, social, and open to all kinds of students and social changes.”
AT “It’s taught me to have lots of patience and has shown me that teaching is making an impact.”
KD “It made me more aware of the community and different backgrounds.”
LR “There are multiple lessons that kids have taught me, like to not take things personally, to try to figure out why they are acting [the way they are], and how to de-escalate angry students. I worked with a student who wanted to inspire others but passed after first grade. It changes a person when you see something like that happen.”
BL “If I had to do it all over again, I would.”
AL “Education taught me humility, patience, and opened my heart to people and life.”
What advice would you give to students today?
RG “Advice for students is to keep going forward and don’t burn bridges. Keep all the doors open, a lot of success is just showing up.”
WH “Stay true to yourself and remember what you want out of life. You will have friends but you will come to realize which ones are true friends. If they aren’t, they will drop out or slowly start to back away, and that’s just life.”
AT “If you get that opportunity don’t let it go to waste. When you get it, take it and do the best with it.”
KD “Keep pushing and don’t give up. Find your niche.”
LR ¨Honor your past, respect your parents, have hope for the future, stay focused, have goals/action plans, and stay kind.¨
BL “To be themselves in whatever they choose to do with their lives.”
AL “To realize their incredible potential and to live responsibly.”
What advice would you offer to the teachers and staff who are just beginning their careers?
RG “Have fun. Get up and go to work; students can be very fun; you can learn from the students.”
WH “Get to know students and colleagues; don’t be afraid to try new thing; and you have the best job so enjoy it.”
AT “Be involved and bring your family so they can be involved in what you do and learn more.”
KD “Change your lesson every 15 minutes and be wary of social media.”
LR ¨Stay curious; stay open to learning; recognize that there are people who can still teach you; don´t give up on a bad day; don´t take things personally; realize the impact that teachers have; and stay kind.¨
AL “Connect to your students as soon as you can.”
Looking Ahead
What are your plans for retirement?
RG “Travel. Walk 10-15 miles a day. I Fly from Spain to Japan in a week.”
WH “Travel. Spend time with my family and grow my own garden. Start lifting weights.”
AT “Nothing for a little bit. Embrace the summer with family and go to as many soccer games as possible with my daughter. Travel.”
KD “Support my kids in water polo and my son in college.”
LR “Trust my faith that the right situation will come to me during retirement. I may also be looking into being an ESL tutor.”
BL “I plan to travel a lot and do some things on my bucket list.”
AL “Travel the world and inquire about Life.”
Is there something new you’re excited to learn, try, or experience in this next chapter?
RG “I would like to edit my book. To do more writing, write shorter books, more reading, and start a podcast.”
WH “I want to start a scrap book and make my own books for my kids; volunteer and foster animals.”
AT “I’m excited to see what comes my way. Hangouts in my garage, the neighborhood watch, and designer day with my kids.”
KD “Potty training a puppy, an English Stafford Pit Terrier.”
LR “I’m hoping to try teaching in prisons or juvenile detention centers. My husband said I will always be a teacher. Being a teacher is my identity. Once a teacher, always a teacher.”
BL “I want to learn how to fly.”
AL “I have a non-profit organization and hope to do a lot of good with it.”
If you could sum up your years at OHS in one word or phrase, what would it be?
RG “I’m happy I was here.”
AT “Honored.”
KD “Go Jackets.”
WH “Fortunate.”
LR “Living the dream. When your job is healing, it makes a really good job and I’ve never been let down.”
BL “Fulfillment on making an impact on the educational experience.”
AL “Great Adventure!! And I loved it!!”