Pablo Torres ’98
Member
Who was your favorite Academy teacher and why?
There were so many excellent teachers. This is a hard question to answer. Mrs. Robertson (10th-grade English) stands out for her caring focus on helping me to improve my writing. Although it was sometimes shocking to get back graded papers and see them absolutely covered in her red-ink, hand-written notes, I appreciated her time and dedication.
What was your favorite Academy class?
Media Literacy. That class was incredible and at the caliber of any excellent university-level course I experienced later. The topic was contemporary and relevant, but ultimately it was the teaching quality that made it such a great class. To this day, I still actively use ideas and skills from that class.
What is your favorite Academy memory?
In 10th grade I went on an Exp Ed canoe trip. It was a small group of sophomores canoeing and camping along the Rio Grande near Truth or Consequences. We named each of our canoes (like “Princess Bob” written on duct tape on the side of the boat). On the last day, the Suburban van that we were supposed to depart in was broken down and we were stranded (cell phones were not a thing). The adult chaperones had to leave us alone for a few hours while they hiked out to get the Suburban towed and another vehicle driven in. We entertained ourselves by skipping rocks on the water and telling jokes to pass the time. What might have been a broken ending to a fun trip was a memorable bonding experience.
Why did you want to join the Alumni Council?
Although I was not a “lifer” — I did not enroll at the Academy until the 10th grade — I cherish the excellent education and experiences I was fortunate to have during my time there. Some of my closest friends today are classmates from the Academy. I wanted to join the Alumni Council because I hope to give back in some way to the school that gave me so much.