You may see her greeting you while you’re on your way to your next class, or maybe she welcomes you to her classroom with a big smile across her face. Mrs. Reyes, soon to be Dr. Reyes, is one of Apopka’s very own Advanced Placement Computer Science and Digital Design teachers. One thing is for sure, she can always brighten your day. Along with teaching two different courses throughout the day, Mrs. Reyes has also become a co-sponsor and sponsor to GWC and E-sports. There is no doubt that this year has been drastically more difficult for teachers, but Mrs. Reyes has taken the challenge head on doing the best to her capabilities for all of her students.

How long have you been teaching at Apopka Highschool? 

I have been teaching at Apopka for 4 years.

What made you want to become the APCS and Digital Design teacher?

 I decided to become a teacher after I received my MBA. I lived in New York City and worked for the hospital system as a data analysis. My last assignment was to help train staff for a new electronic software that would be implemented. I knew that I wanted to teach after seeing the difference I made.

Being the sponsor of our school’s E-sport club, what are your goals for the year?

I would say the goal is to enjoy thyself. We are not aware of what tomorrow may bring. I just want to see our members have fun and connect to other students within Apopka.

What made you want to create clubs like Girls Who Code and E-sports? 

I have been wanting to create Girls Who Code for 2 years now but the opportunity always passed me by. I am so happy that I was able to invite members to join this year. We are currently working on awesome coding projects like webpages on activism and digital memory webpages. Shout out to Mrs. Karen Moore who is a co-sponsor for GWC, she has been a tremendous asset to the club. The E-sports club idea was sent out by Mr. Heinz and I offered to sponsor it with Mr. Williams. It has been a new and learning experience for both of us.

How has teaching Face to Face and online kids changed your teaching methods?

Being a hybrid teacher has helped me focus on building relationships with my students. I have always tried to show empathy in the classroom but this year I am working hard on building relationships with students and their parents. I believe that to build rigor in the classroom I must first build a relationship with students to show them that I care. My motto this year comes from Rita Pierson who once said, “Kids can’t learn from teachers they don’t like”.

What do you enjoy about being the APCS and Digital Arts teacher at Apopka High School?

I enjoy seeing the talents that my students hold. From their charismatic personalities to their complex thinking. It amazes me to see the talent at Apopka. We have such a diverse student body. I have students who can create a coding app in minutes to students who can turn a dull picture into a lustrous photograph.