Yearbook committee has been working extra hard around John Dewey campus lately, but who exactly is in charge of this diligent team?
That would be Ms. Alteon, a name that is adored all around the school campus, who takes matters into her hands to bring the upcoming class of 2025 the perfect yearbook they deserve. A yearbook that expresses school spirit JDHS embodies.
It is quite common for Dewey staff to be placed under various roles around the school, but what exactly is Ms. Alteon’s story? Teaching chemistry with the duty of being a yearbook advisor by the side, many questions arise regarding how she handles these tasks as smoothly as it appears. It is a no brainer that similarly to students, teachers undergo stressful days, weeks, or even months. Though how do they push on from it? Towards this, Alteon shared her thoughts, saying “I feel I do better under pressure. I feel pressured to perform very well…putting 200 percent in, not 100. It’s weird because I am not a perfectionist, but my mind thinks you have to be a perfectionist.”
Effort is there always, and the work done by Alteon is simply not easy to miss, as in the end it does its job at bringing the entire Dewey community together, to be a “family”. Themes of community and family are constant with Alteon, with one comment standing out,
“I don’t like cliques and I want us [YBC] to be a family. So, when I say us–I mean YBC, everybody knows everybody.”
First impressions for a teacher like Alteon can vary between the students. “At first, I felt pretty intimidated but for a good reason–because she wants all her students to perform their best.” Vivian Huang, a member of YBC said. “Getting to know her more in general made me recognize how she is really easy to talk to and just super sweet and welcoming to be near.” Another student shares a rather different perspective yet in a similar light. “She looked kind and sweet—I don’t know how to put it but rad.” Melissa, another YBC member said. “I feel comfortable around her.”
Teachers have a priority to create a safe environment for students to feel comfortable, and Alteon does just that. While still maintaining a clear boundary line that is held in a teacher-student relationship, respect is constant in her classes, and she makes sure to gather everyone’s input. “I call on everyone, whether you’re quiet, you’re loud, it doesn’t matter. I need to know what your thought process is.”
Alteon’s chemistry class, while differing from what is taught in yearbook, has a corresponding teaching style of visual learning. This is no surprise given her interest in event planning and designing overall. “I need to make it as interesting as possible so they can learn.” Ms. Alteon said.
Ranging from chemistry powerpoints to fully planned out student events, Ms. Alteon can be described as a role model within the Dewey family.
