CAMPUS NEWS
Final Salute
Attendance Clerk Isela ‘Sally’ Barron to Retire
After 15 Years at Eastwood High School
Attendance Clerk Isela ‘Sally’ Barron to Retire
After 15 Years at Eastwood High School
By Arielle Vizcarra
Attendance Clerk, Isela “Sally” Barron is set to retire at the end of the 2022-2023 school year after 15 years of service to Eastwood High.
Born and raised in the Sun City, Barron graduated from Ysleta High School in the mid 70’s. In her junior year, she met her husband Eddie, and they got married three years later.
Before working at Eastwood, Barron worked in a variety of customer service positions. Additionally, she took classes in business and accounting at EPCC.
“I worked several jobs before working with YISD. I started as an administrative assistant with an insurance company, a bank teller, but was promoted to loan secretary at Montwood National Bank for 10 years,” Barron said. “After the bank, I worked as a manager at Champion Dance Studio until I came to Eastwood in 2008. I have always believed in providing excellent customer service and I enjoy talking to people and helping them.”
Attendance clerk, Cecy Edens, has worked with Barron for the past 15 years, but for the last five years, they have worked side by side as a team in the attendance office. Edens describes Barron as a person that is always willing to help someone in need.
“Sally, my favorite thing about you is the love you have for your daughters, your grandchildren, and yes Eddie, (her Husband) for almost 50 years the love Sally has for you. Your silly personality, and your jokes, always bring a smile to my friend no matter what kind of day she or we are having here at Eastwood,” Edens said. “You both have been together for so many years, and there is no stopping you both from going out to parties and Sally putting on her dancing shoes to dance with her lifetime partner, you Eddie. Take care of my friend and may your love live forever.”
Barron states that she will miss Eastwood and all the traditions that come with it.
“I love to go to all the parades, the pep rallies, and the burning of the E because of the firework display. I’ve been going to the Burning of the E since my daughters were attending Eastwood in the late ‘90s. I also love going to football games to watch the Trooperettes and the cheerleaders perform with the band. It never gets old.”
There is no doubt that Barron’s absence will have an impact everyone in the office, but as for Edens, she will feel it the most.
“My most memorable moment will be the love we have for each other like sisters. We have worked together day in and day out, sometimes we agree or disagree with each other, and we might get upset with each other, usually because of the stress we go through, but at the end of the day we always apologize to each other,” Edens said. “And I’ll miss the Friday’s before we head home for the weekend, when we give each other a hug as we walk to our cars and tell each other, ‘Love you, love you, too.’
“Sally, things around here in the attendance office, will definitely be different without you, what can I say. We will definitely miss you, but this is a new chapter in your life, that you will soon realize and say, ‘Thank you Jesus!’ These next few weeks and days here at Eastwood will be extremely difficult with so many memories built. Saying see you later to friends you've made throughout your life here, for we both know that this is our home away from home, but believe in yourself, you have made the right choice and ‘Don't worry about a thing, for every little thing is gonna be alright.’ You will surely be missed, but I have always been a believer, that a true friendship shouldn't be based on one working together but being there for each other always.”
After Barron retires, she plans to travel to Las Vegas and Cancun, where she plans to swim with the dolphins. She also says that she plans to visit her three daughters and her grandchildren.
“Eastwood is my family's pride and joy, and I will miss it immensely. My Eastwood family, all my co-workers and colleagues, will always have a special place in my heart. But one thing that I can say is to always stay focused, keep positive, and move forward when things aren’t working out your way.”
Attendance Clerk, Isela “Sally” Barron is set to retire at the end of the 2022-2023 school year after 15 years of service to Eastwood High.
Born and raised in the Sun City, Barron graduated from Ysleta High School in the mid 70’s. In her junior year, she met her husband Eddie, and they got married three years later.
Before working at Eastwood, Barron worked in a variety of customer service positions. Additionally, she took classes in business and accounting at EPCC.
“I worked several jobs before working with YISD. I started as an administrative assistant with an insurance company, a bank teller, but was promoted to loan secretary at Montwood National Bank for 10 years,” Barron said. “After the bank, I worked as a manager at Champion Dance Studio until I came to Eastwood in 2008. I have always believed in providing excellent customer service and I enjoy talking to people and helping them.”
Attendance clerk, Cecy Edens, has worked with Barron for the past 15 years, but for the last five years, they have worked side by side as a team in the attendance office. Edens describes Barron as a person that is always willing to help someone in need.
“Sally, my favorite thing about you is the love you have for your daughters, your grandchildren, and yes Eddie, (her Husband) for almost 50 years the love Sally has for you. Your silly personality, and your jokes, always bring a smile to my friend no matter what kind of day she or we are having here at Eastwood,” Edens said. “You both have been together for so many years, and there is no stopping you both from going out to parties and Sally putting on her dancing shoes to dance with her lifetime partner, you Eddie. Take care of my friend and may your love live forever.”
Barron states that she will miss Eastwood and all the traditions that come with it.
“I love to go to all the parades, the pep rallies, and the burning of the E because of the firework display. I’ve been going to the Burning of the E since my daughters were attending Eastwood in the late ‘90s. I also love going to football games to watch the Trooperettes and the cheerleaders perform with the band. It never gets old.”
There is no doubt that Barron’s absence will have an impact everyone in the office, but as for Edens, she will feel it the most.
“My most memorable moment will be the love we have for each other like sisters. We have worked together day in and day out, sometimes we agree or disagree with each other, and we might get upset with each other, usually because of the stress we go through, but at the end of the day we always apologize to each other,” Edens said. “And I’ll miss the Friday’s before we head home for the weekend, when we give each other a hug as we walk to our cars and tell each other, ‘Love you, love you, too.’
“Sally, things around here in the attendance office, will definitely be different without you, what can I say. We will definitely miss you, but this is a new chapter in your life, that you will soon realize and say, ‘Thank you Jesus!’ These next few weeks and days here at Eastwood will be extremely difficult with so many memories built. Saying see you later to friends you've made throughout your life here, for we both know that this is our home away from home, but believe in yourself, you have made the right choice and ‘Don't worry about a thing, for every little thing is gonna be alright.’ You will surely be missed, but I have always been a believer, that a true friendship shouldn't be based on one working together but being there for each other always.”
After Barron retires, she plans to travel to Las Vegas and Cancun, where she plans to swim with the dolphins. She also says that she plans to visit her three daughters and her grandchildren.
“Eastwood is my family's pride and joy, and I will miss it immensely. My Eastwood family, all my co-workers and colleagues, will always have a special place in my heart. But one thing that I can say is to always stay focused, keep positive, and move forward when things aren’t working out your way.”
Final Salute:
Leslie Beeman to Retire after 29 Years at
Eastwood High School
Leslie Beeman to Retire after 29 Years at
Eastwood High School
By Evelyn Munoz
After 29 years of teaching here at Eastwood High, our beloved Leslie Beeman is retiring and leaving behind an unforgettable impact on her students. With 30 years total of teaching experience, with 29 of those years being here at Eastwood, Ms. Beeman is finally ready to move forward and begin a new chapter of her life.
Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, she graduated from Mayfield High School in 1995 and always knew from the beginning she wanted to study health and the physical body.
“I always played sports; I was also an athletic person, too. My P.E. teachers had the biggest influence on me, so I followed in those pathways of what I loved and followed in my mom's footsteps since she was a teacher,” she said.
Beeman went to New Mexico State in which she majored in physical education and graduated in 1980. Then a few years later, attended Louisiana State University in which she studied sports medicine. A few years later, she then went back to college at Northwestern State University of Louisiana and graduated with a masters in athletic training.
However, after college instead of going straight into becoming a health teacher, Beeman began to work in retail management at Footlocker.
“Well, being a manager of a clothing store and shoes, I was still involved in athletics along with everything of that nature. It was able to indirectly benefit me a lot in the time I was there,” she said.
Because of her experience as a manager, she was incredibly self-disciplined and knew how to lead a group of people while also learning about how shoes affect our ability to do certain things.
Soon after Beeman's retail days, she saw a flyer for Eastwood High School and decided to try it and apply for the position of a health and wellness teacher.
“The moment I saw the banner ‘Home of El Paso’s Finest’ I knew instantly I was to be here. I felt Eastwood and it's a great place to be. I got here and never looked back. The students are awesome, many ups and downs but at the same time as I've changed as a teacher and I've made better connections with students, it's changed my way of teaching and I'm constantly improving my relationships with them.
“Before, I used to be a real stern and strict teacher but over the years of me being here, I'm more nonchalant and a better teacher overall.”
After a long 29 years of teaching, the time has come for her to retire.
“I feel happy about me retiring but at the same time I'm also sad but it's a change in what I'll be doing and it's time to pass the torch onto the next person,” she said.
Saying goodbye to our lovely Ms. Beeman will be tough but the Eastwood community knows she’ll be moving onto greater opportunities while in retirement. We appreciate her amazing teaching and talent as she moves forward into the next chapter of her life. Our school was so lucky to have a teacher like Leslie Beeman.
After 29 years of teaching here at Eastwood High, our beloved Leslie Beeman is retiring and leaving behind an unforgettable impact on her students. With 30 years total of teaching experience, with 29 of those years being here at Eastwood, Ms. Beeman is finally ready to move forward and begin a new chapter of her life.
Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, she graduated from Mayfield High School in 1995 and always knew from the beginning she wanted to study health and the physical body.
“I always played sports; I was also an athletic person, too. My P.E. teachers had the biggest influence on me, so I followed in those pathways of what I loved and followed in my mom's footsteps since she was a teacher,” she said.
Beeman went to New Mexico State in which she majored in physical education and graduated in 1980. Then a few years later, attended Louisiana State University in which she studied sports medicine. A few years later, she then went back to college at Northwestern State University of Louisiana and graduated with a masters in athletic training.
However, after college instead of going straight into becoming a health teacher, Beeman began to work in retail management at Footlocker.
“Well, being a manager of a clothing store and shoes, I was still involved in athletics along with everything of that nature. It was able to indirectly benefit me a lot in the time I was there,” she said.
Because of her experience as a manager, she was incredibly self-disciplined and knew how to lead a group of people while also learning about how shoes affect our ability to do certain things.
Soon after Beeman's retail days, she saw a flyer for Eastwood High School and decided to try it and apply for the position of a health and wellness teacher.
“The moment I saw the banner ‘Home of El Paso’s Finest’ I knew instantly I was to be here. I felt Eastwood and it's a great place to be. I got here and never looked back. The students are awesome, many ups and downs but at the same time as I've changed as a teacher and I've made better connections with students, it's changed my way of teaching and I'm constantly improving my relationships with them.
“Before, I used to be a real stern and strict teacher but over the years of me being here, I'm more nonchalant and a better teacher overall.”
After a long 29 years of teaching, the time has come for her to retire.
“I feel happy about me retiring but at the same time I'm also sad but it's a change in what I'll be doing and it's time to pass the torch onto the next person,” she said.
Saying goodbye to our lovely Ms. Beeman will be tough but the Eastwood community knows she’ll be moving onto greater opportunities while in retirement. We appreciate her amazing teaching and talent as she moves forward into the next chapter of her life. Our school was so lucky to have a teacher like Leslie Beeman.
Final Salute:
Sergeant Debbie Hunter to Retire after 21 years at
Eastwood High School
Sergeant Debbie Hunter to Retire after 21 years at
Eastwood High School
By Monica Martinez
JROTC teacher Debbie Hunter, also known as Sergeant Hunter, is set to retire at the end of the 2023 school year after 21 years of teaching and being part of Eastwood High School.
Sergeant was born in El Paso and graduated from Andress High School in 1975, from an early age she knew she was passionate about joining the military. After joining and attending a different school to follow her passion, she joined the Army where she later met her husband. She is now a proud mother and grandmother. Mrs. Hunter always prioritizes kindness and loves teaching her students how valuable it is.
“When I attended Andress High School I was involved in cheer and JROTC. I always wanted to pursue the military. Out of high school, I went to beautician school, and I found I did not like it at all,” she said. “Then I tried out college at UTEP and found that college was not for me. I then went to work for Tony Lama Boot Company for approximately 3 years before I joined the Army.”
Her journey before ending up in the Army may have been rocky but she learned amazing life lessons and met great people along the way.
“In the Army, I learned to do my best because that is who you are and what you represent. I also learned to treat others with kindness because you never know when you will cross that road again.”
Sergeant was on Active Duty until 1985 and retired out of Fort Bragg North Carolina along with her Husband, and came home. She built her own loving family through the years. She is a proud mother, grandmother, and wife. “I am married to Thomas Hunter whom I have been married for 43 years and have two kids and grandkids.”
After being on Active Duty and deciding to retire with her husband, Sergeant wanted to be a history teacher but because of some obstacles decided against it. “I started wanting to teach History until I got told I had to student teach without pay and I said no way. So, I went back to school and got a BS in Psychology and a Minor in Sociology.”
With all the experience she has because of the Army and the different schools she attended, and remembering her high school years being part of the JROTC, she decided to start teaching JROTC at Eastwood High School.
Sergeant Hunter has seen many Eastwood classes come and go, taught them all valuable life lessons, and she is filled with joy every time an old student visits her. Every year she is excited to receive new students to be able to teach them new things and hopefully, to see that they grow as students and as people.
“I always dreamed of teaching JROTC and now this Journey and dream is coming to an end. The overall experience has been great the teachers and the alumi have; been great since I have been here so long, they have treated me as if I belonged I have so many memories from the old building to the construction to the New Eastwood.”
Mrs. Hunter was able to have an impact many of her student's lives including senior Cadet Major Miriam Loya. “When I first met her, she had a welcoming impression that made me feel welcome to be part of the JROTC program and was very welcoming to everyone else as well,” she said. “Her time of being here was strict and she is very assertive, but little did we know, she had humor and great kindness in her heart, she helped those in need and treated us like family. The Eastwood JROTC 3rd Battalion wishes her the best and will miss her truly.”
Every day Sergeant prioritizes teaching her students something new and her last advice to fellow Troopers is, “Enjoy every day you have because we do not know what we have in store for us. Do things that you dream of doing because time can be limited to you. Most of all treat yourself with kindness and love for you are the one who will love you the most.”
JROTC teacher Debbie Hunter, also known as Sergeant Hunter, is set to retire at the end of the 2023 school year after 21 years of teaching and being part of Eastwood High School.
Sergeant was born in El Paso and graduated from Andress High School in 1975, from an early age she knew she was passionate about joining the military. After joining and attending a different school to follow her passion, she joined the Army where she later met her husband. She is now a proud mother and grandmother. Mrs. Hunter always prioritizes kindness and loves teaching her students how valuable it is.
“When I attended Andress High School I was involved in cheer and JROTC. I always wanted to pursue the military. Out of high school, I went to beautician school, and I found I did not like it at all,” she said. “Then I tried out college at UTEP and found that college was not for me. I then went to work for Tony Lama Boot Company for approximately 3 years before I joined the Army.”
Her journey before ending up in the Army may have been rocky but she learned amazing life lessons and met great people along the way.
“In the Army, I learned to do my best because that is who you are and what you represent. I also learned to treat others with kindness because you never know when you will cross that road again.”
Sergeant was on Active Duty until 1985 and retired out of Fort Bragg North Carolina along with her Husband, and came home. She built her own loving family through the years. She is a proud mother, grandmother, and wife. “I am married to Thomas Hunter whom I have been married for 43 years and have two kids and grandkids.”
After being on Active Duty and deciding to retire with her husband, Sergeant wanted to be a history teacher but because of some obstacles decided against it. “I started wanting to teach History until I got told I had to student teach without pay and I said no way. So, I went back to school and got a BS in Psychology and a Minor in Sociology.”
With all the experience she has because of the Army and the different schools she attended, and remembering her high school years being part of the JROTC, she decided to start teaching JROTC at Eastwood High School.
Sergeant Hunter has seen many Eastwood classes come and go, taught them all valuable life lessons, and she is filled with joy every time an old student visits her. Every year she is excited to receive new students to be able to teach them new things and hopefully, to see that they grow as students and as people.
“I always dreamed of teaching JROTC and now this Journey and dream is coming to an end. The overall experience has been great the teachers and the alumi have; been great since I have been here so long, they have treated me as if I belonged I have so many memories from the old building to the construction to the New Eastwood.”
Mrs. Hunter was able to have an impact many of her student's lives including senior Cadet Major Miriam Loya. “When I first met her, she had a welcoming impression that made me feel welcome to be part of the JROTC program and was very welcoming to everyone else as well,” she said. “Her time of being here was strict and she is very assertive, but little did we know, she had humor and great kindness in her heart, she helped those in need and treated us like family. The Eastwood JROTC 3rd Battalion wishes her the best and will miss her truly.”
Every day Sergeant prioritizes teaching her students something new and her last advice to fellow Troopers is, “Enjoy every day you have because we do not know what we have in store for us. Do things that you dream of doing because time can be limited to you. Most of all treat yourself with kindness and love for you are the one who will love you the most.”
Final Salute:
Jonathan Stovall to Retire after 26 years at
Eastwood High School
Jonathan Stovall to Retire after 26 years at
Eastwood High School
By Arielle Vizcarra
English teacher and boys’ golf assistant coach, Jonathan Stovall is set to retire at the end of the 2022-2023 school year after 31 years teaching and 26 of those years at Eastwood High School.
Stovall was born in El Paso. He grew up in Ysleta, which was a separate town until the late 1950’s. He graduated in 1979 from Ysleta High School.
“I didn’t really get involved much in school. I wanted to but I also wanted a car, mostly because I wanted to chase girls, and you needed a car for that, so I worked a lot and only went to school half day, if I went at all. I didn’t like school and did not want to be there.
“That was probably a big reason for me becoming a teacher, feeling left out of things and unimportant. Nobody seemed to care whether I was there or not. I had some good teachers, but most of them seemed indifferent and I could not connect with them. I tried to become the teacher that I would have wanted when I was young and feeling those things.”
Stovall goes on to say he was always good at English, but he did not see himself as a teacher. He opposed them and thought they were unhappy.
“I was always teaching, even as a child. If I learned something at school, I wanted to show it to my friends in the neighborhood. If I learned something at baseball practice, I wanted to teach it to the kids at school who didn’t play, and if I learned something working in my Dad’s welding shop, I couldn’t wait to teach it to somebody.
“I learned quickly, and I loved being able to explain things. I was always good at figuring out how to break things into steps and into words that whomever I was explaining to could understand. I don’t think I chose teaching. I think it chose me.”
After high school, Stovall attended EPCC and UTEP. Before becoming a teacher, he studied engineering for a couple of years, but he did not enjoy it. He got a job as an auto mechanic and got married young. By the time he graduated, he was 30 and became a father of two sons.
“It took a long time, and it was very hard, working 50-60 hours a week and going to school and being a parent. But I found where I belonged.”
Before teaching at Eastwood High, Stovall taught automotive electrical systems classes at Western Tech while working as a mechanic.
“Once I graduated from college, I taught for five years at Eastwood Middle, and it was a blast. I loved the chaos and craziness of middle school, and I think I was good at it. But high school was always where I wanted to be. I coached baseball and I wanted to coach in high school, so I applied as soon as there was an opening.”
Stovall started teaching at Eastwood High in 1997. He started as an English teacher, teaching freshman and sophomores. In ‘99, he took over Reveille, Eastwood’s literary magazine, and the creative writing program. He advised Reveille for 20 years.
“I taught senior English for a few years, then juniors, then sophomores, then back to seniors the last few years. I also taught AP English lit for three years. In 2014, I took over the newspaper, after it had been gone for several years, and I did that until 2021. I gave up the Reveille last year.”
After over three decades of teaching, Stovall states that he has had so many moments of joy, satisfaction, disappointment, and heartache.
“One morning I woke up and found that my dog had shredded my wallet. There were pieces of money and whatever else was in there all over the backyard. It was getting late, so I grabbed a zip-lock bag and stuffed it all in there. When I got to school, I was sitting at my desk trying to piece the money back together (back when people carried cash) and feeling like the world was ending. I had maybe 120 dollars in there, and it was probably half my net worth at the time. I’d been going through a divorce, working a night job, fixing cars on the weekend, and my kids were thousands of miles away, and it just seemed like there was no end to my troubles.
“A student walked in and asked what the heck I was doing. I told her and she sat down and started helping. The day went on, and the next morning, she came up and handed me a small gift box. Inside was a new wallet and a note. The note said, ‘I will buy your wallets for the rest of your life.' For a few years, she brought one on my birthday. I finally told her that I had done the math, and I was reasonably certain that I had enough wallets to last the rest of my life. But she still asks every year if I need a new one. That gesture was a huge thing for me at the time and helped me stay on the road to healing and getting my life back. How can you not love this job?”
Perhaps the most memorable moment for Stovall was when he was coaching girls’ golf. The father of one of his players died unexpectedly after surgery.
“I had gone by the hospital and the doctor had told the family it had gone well, and he’d be fine, but on my way home, she called and told me that he’d started bleeding internally, and they couldn’t save him. I went back to the hospital. When I got there, she pulled me aside and told me, ‘I’m going to need you to be my dad now.’ Things like that have happened through the years. Things that make me think I made the right choice, that I found the right place.”
Stovall goes on to say his emotions are all over the place when it comes to his retirement. He says that he feels sad most of the time, scared, excited, hopeful, relieved and even unburdened.
“I have had a job every minute of my life since I was 12 years old. I’ve been Mr. Stovall, Coach Stovall for so long, I really don’t know who I’ll be when it’s just Jon. I’m getting anxious to find out. I hope I like him.”
“I think I’d like the people who work here to know what a special place this is, and what a valuable service they offer to young people. You never really get to know what effect you have on students. It’s not measurable, and there’s no “data dig” that will uncover it.
“But if you are honest, you show up every day, you give it your best shot every day, even when you don’t feel like it, they will know, and you will have shown them something- that they may or may not see in other parts of their lives. If you look every student in the eye, every class, every period, even ones you don’t know in the hall and you ask yourself ‘is this kid ok?’ And if you don’t think so, maybe pull them aside and ask, there is always the chance that you can help, or find help if needed. Even if they say they’re fine and move along, at least they know there are people looking to help. And it may make all the difference.”
After teaching for 31 years, he has seen so much and influenced countless students' lives. As a student of his, I can personally say that he is one of the most interesting teachers I have had, and I am honored to have called myself his student. He always has some knowledge to share, and he is very understanding. He makes all his students laugh with his choice of words. So, farewell Mr. Stovall, thank you for everything. You will be missed.
English teacher and boys’ golf assistant coach, Jonathan Stovall is set to retire at the end of the 2022-2023 school year after 31 years teaching and 26 of those years at Eastwood High School.
Stovall was born in El Paso. He grew up in Ysleta, which was a separate town until the late 1950’s. He graduated in 1979 from Ysleta High School.
“I didn’t really get involved much in school. I wanted to but I also wanted a car, mostly because I wanted to chase girls, and you needed a car for that, so I worked a lot and only went to school half day, if I went at all. I didn’t like school and did not want to be there.
“That was probably a big reason for me becoming a teacher, feeling left out of things and unimportant. Nobody seemed to care whether I was there or not. I had some good teachers, but most of them seemed indifferent and I could not connect with them. I tried to become the teacher that I would have wanted when I was young and feeling those things.”
Stovall goes on to say he was always good at English, but he did not see himself as a teacher. He opposed them and thought they were unhappy.
“I was always teaching, even as a child. If I learned something at school, I wanted to show it to my friends in the neighborhood. If I learned something at baseball practice, I wanted to teach it to the kids at school who didn’t play, and if I learned something working in my Dad’s welding shop, I couldn’t wait to teach it to somebody.
“I learned quickly, and I loved being able to explain things. I was always good at figuring out how to break things into steps and into words that whomever I was explaining to could understand. I don’t think I chose teaching. I think it chose me.”
After high school, Stovall attended EPCC and UTEP. Before becoming a teacher, he studied engineering for a couple of years, but he did not enjoy it. He got a job as an auto mechanic and got married young. By the time he graduated, he was 30 and became a father of two sons.
“It took a long time, and it was very hard, working 50-60 hours a week and going to school and being a parent. But I found where I belonged.”
Before teaching at Eastwood High, Stovall taught automotive electrical systems classes at Western Tech while working as a mechanic.
“Once I graduated from college, I taught for five years at Eastwood Middle, and it was a blast. I loved the chaos and craziness of middle school, and I think I was good at it. But high school was always where I wanted to be. I coached baseball and I wanted to coach in high school, so I applied as soon as there was an opening.”
Stovall started teaching at Eastwood High in 1997. He started as an English teacher, teaching freshman and sophomores. In ‘99, he took over Reveille, Eastwood’s literary magazine, and the creative writing program. He advised Reveille for 20 years.
“I taught senior English for a few years, then juniors, then sophomores, then back to seniors the last few years. I also taught AP English lit for three years. In 2014, I took over the newspaper, after it had been gone for several years, and I did that until 2021. I gave up the Reveille last year.”
After over three decades of teaching, Stovall states that he has had so many moments of joy, satisfaction, disappointment, and heartache.
“One morning I woke up and found that my dog had shredded my wallet. There were pieces of money and whatever else was in there all over the backyard. It was getting late, so I grabbed a zip-lock bag and stuffed it all in there. When I got to school, I was sitting at my desk trying to piece the money back together (back when people carried cash) and feeling like the world was ending. I had maybe 120 dollars in there, and it was probably half my net worth at the time. I’d been going through a divorce, working a night job, fixing cars on the weekend, and my kids were thousands of miles away, and it just seemed like there was no end to my troubles.
“A student walked in and asked what the heck I was doing. I told her and she sat down and started helping. The day went on, and the next morning, she came up and handed me a small gift box. Inside was a new wallet and a note. The note said, ‘I will buy your wallets for the rest of your life.' For a few years, she brought one on my birthday. I finally told her that I had done the math, and I was reasonably certain that I had enough wallets to last the rest of my life. But she still asks every year if I need a new one. That gesture was a huge thing for me at the time and helped me stay on the road to healing and getting my life back. How can you not love this job?”
Perhaps the most memorable moment for Stovall was when he was coaching girls’ golf. The father of one of his players died unexpectedly after surgery.
“I had gone by the hospital and the doctor had told the family it had gone well, and he’d be fine, but on my way home, she called and told me that he’d started bleeding internally, and they couldn’t save him. I went back to the hospital. When I got there, she pulled me aside and told me, ‘I’m going to need you to be my dad now.’ Things like that have happened through the years. Things that make me think I made the right choice, that I found the right place.”
Stovall goes on to say his emotions are all over the place when it comes to his retirement. He says that he feels sad most of the time, scared, excited, hopeful, relieved and even unburdened.
“I have had a job every minute of my life since I was 12 years old. I’ve been Mr. Stovall, Coach Stovall for so long, I really don’t know who I’ll be when it’s just Jon. I’m getting anxious to find out. I hope I like him.”
“I think I’d like the people who work here to know what a special place this is, and what a valuable service they offer to young people. You never really get to know what effect you have on students. It’s not measurable, and there’s no “data dig” that will uncover it.
“But if you are honest, you show up every day, you give it your best shot every day, even when you don’t feel like it, they will know, and you will have shown them something- that they may or may not see in other parts of their lives. If you look every student in the eye, every class, every period, even ones you don’t know in the hall and you ask yourself ‘is this kid ok?’ And if you don’t think so, maybe pull them aside and ask, there is always the chance that you can help, or find help if needed. Even if they say they’re fine and move along, at least they know there are people looking to help. And it may make all the difference.”
After teaching for 31 years, he has seen so much and influenced countless students' lives. As a student of his, I can personally say that he is one of the most interesting teachers I have had, and I am honored to have called myself his student. He always has some knowledge to share, and he is very understanding. He makes all his students laugh with his choice of words. So, farewell Mr. Stovall, thank you for everything. You will be missed.
Cold and Flu Season Hits Troopers Hard
By Arielle Vizcarra
By Arielle Vizcarra
Sore throats, runny noses, fevers, and coughing are just some of the symptoms that a sizable number of students have been experiencing within the past month. With strep throat and the common cold weaving its way through the student body, teachers are beginning to see an increasing number of empty seats in their classrooms.
With winter approaching, comes the arrival of contagious illnesses, but strep throat has the biggest grip over Eastwood. “I started with a runny nose, and I had an intense headache for three days straight. I tried to put up with it because I did not want to miss school and fall behind in my classes,” said senior Moises Salazar. “I went to school on the fourth day that I was feeling sick, and that is when my throat started hurting. I could not deal with it anymore, so I went to the nurse and left school for the day. I ended up finding out I had contracted strep throat and I missed school for three days.”
Being sick makes the school day feel a lot longer and more miserable. Senior, Joseph Martin explains how he copes with his sickness that will not seem to go away. “I started feeling sick early last week. I started with a headache, cough, and a fever that lasted for a couple of days. Being sick makes being in school a lot harder because I always feel horrible,” he said. “My mom makes me come to school no matter how I am feeling. I have been dealing with my sickness on my own. I take cough syrup every day and Ibuprofen when my head starts to hurt.”
Senior, Stevie Valdez explains her experience with the flu. “Last Tuesday, I started with a headache, a runny nose, congestion, and I felt my throat hurting. I went to the nurse, and she ended up sending me home early. I missed the rest of the week. I went to the doctor and found out that I caught the flu. I felt horrible. I could not get out of bed all week, let alone do my schoolwork. Now, I am behind in most of my classes. I am starting to feel stressed out, but I do have extra time to catch up so that is good,” she said.
The earth and space science teacher; Ms. Avila describes what she has seen within the last month. “I have noticed a slight decrease in attendance in my classes. As teachers, we are not told which students are out due to illness. We can only rely on the students themselves to reach out to us and let us know,” said Avila. “I have a couple of students in my classes who are sick right now. I usually see a lot of them dealing with stomach issues, cough, congestion, runny noses, and a lot of sneezing. When a student is sick, half of them will complete their work even if they are absent and the other half usually will not. When a student is out, they do risk falling behind on work.”
Attendance is important, but a student's well-being is even more important. Cold and flu season is not expected to slow down anytime soon. All students can do right now is wash their hands frequently, wear a mask and stay home if they are feeling sick to risk spreading illnesses even farther.
With winter approaching, comes the arrival of contagious illnesses, but strep throat has the biggest grip over Eastwood. “I started with a runny nose, and I had an intense headache for three days straight. I tried to put up with it because I did not want to miss school and fall behind in my classes,” said senior Moises Salazar. “I went to school on the fourth day that I was feeling sick, and that is when my throat started hurting. I could not deal with it anymore, so I went to the nurse and left school for the day. I ended up finding out I had contracted strep throat and I missed school for three days.”
Being sick makes the school day feel a lot longer and more miserable. Senior, Joseph Martin explains how he copes with his sickness that will not seem to go away. “I started feeling sick early last week. I started with a headache, cough, and a fever that lasted for a couple of days. Being sick makes being in school a lot harder because I always feel horrible,” he said. “My mom makes me come to school no matter how I am feeling. I have been dealing with my sickness on my own. I take cough syrup every day and Ibuprofen when my head starts to hurt.”
Senior, Stevie Valdez explains her experience with the flu. “Last Tuesday, I started with a headache, a runny nose, congestion, and I felt my throat hurting. I went to the nurse, and she ended up sending me home early. I missed the rest of the week. I went to the doctor and found out that I caught the flu. I felt horrible. I could not get out of bed all week, let alone do my schoolwork. Now, I am behind in most of my classes. I am starting to feel stressed out, but I do have extra time to catch up so that is good,” she said.
The earth and space science teacher; Ms. Avila describes what she has seen within the last month. “I have noticed a slight decrease in attendance in my classes. As teachers, we are not told which students are out due to illness. We can only rely on the students themselves to reach out to us and let us know,” said Avila. “I have a couple of students in my classes who are sick right now. I usually see a lot of them dealing with stomach issues, cough, congestion, runny noses, and a lot of sneezing. When a student is sick, half of them will complete their work even if they are absent and the other half usually will not. When a student is out, they do risk falling behind on work.”
Attendance is important, but a student's well-being is even more important. Cold and flu season is not expected to slow down anytime soon. All students can do right now is wash their hands frequently, wear a mask and stay home if they are feeling sick to risk spreading illnesses even farther.
Final Salute:
Antonio Hernandez to Retire after 33 Years in Law Enforcement
and 9 Years of Service to Eastwood High School
By Arielle Vizcarra
Antonio Hernandez to Retire after 33 Years in Law Enforcement
and 9 Years of Service to Eastwood High School
By Arielle Vizcarra
Law enforcement teacher, Antonio Hernandez is set to retire at the end of 2022, after over 33 years in law enforcement and nine years of service at Eastwood High School.
For 25 years, he served the El Paso community as a police officer and a detective. Additionally, he worked as an officer for the Socorro Independent School District for eight years.
He was born and raised in El Paso and graduated from Ysleta High School in 76’. Antonio Hernandez is a hardworking person who will stop at nothing to get the job done. On the other hand, he is a family-oriented person who has devoted his life to his wife, children, and grandchildren. He loves to make the people around him laugh.
Hernandez explains how he got the life-altering start to his career in law enforcement, “Both my positions were from pure opportunity. Back in 82’, I was working at El Paso Utilities and one day I saw a flyer advertising a job hiring for EPPD. I decided to take the opportunity and join,” Hernandez said. “I completed the training and there I was 25 years later. I retired back in 2006 as a detective.”
Edward Castro, Eastwood High retired Law Enforcement teacher, and dear friend to Hernandez recounts the time he met him. “I met Tony back in 1982 when he joined the police department. That year I was his senior training officer. We were both working patrol in the downtown area for five years together. It is very rare for officers to stay that long together as partners” he said. “You depend on your partner to take care of your back, and he did just that. My life was in his hands and his was in mine.”
After retiring from EPPD, Hernandez got a job at SISD in 2006 where he worked as an officer. “I decided to join SISD-PD that year. I planned on retiring for good from that job, but things definitely took a turn for me when I got a call from Mr. Castro,” Hernandez said. “I got a call from him telling me about a job opening here at Eastwood. He said that he would help me get the teaching job. About two years later, I was finally hired in 2014.”
“I knew that the students would love him, that is why I pushed so hard to get the school administration to hire him and teach at Eastwood High,” Castro said.
Hernandez has been a teacher at Eastwood High since 2014. Nine years later, he is finally ready to close the chapter and retire. “It has been both an experience and a challenge. I’ve learned a lot about life, both the negative and positive aspects of it. Teaching is a big challenge because you must come prepared every day and be ready to teach your lessons,” Hernandez said.
“I never got the opportunity to watch him teach but I can tell you this; his students adored him. I know because I had the pleasure of teaching his students the next year. They would always tell me how much they enjoyed his class,” Castro said. “His students had a lot of love and respect for him and so do I.”
Although Hernandez’s chapter as a teacher has ended, a new chapter of his life has opened. “I’m looking forward to relaxing and spending more time with my wife, my children, and my grandkids. I’m also excited to take some much-needed alone time,” Hernandez said. “I’m an outdoorsman so I might go check out Yellowstone.”
“I’m going to miss Eastwood and my students, but I am ready to move on. It is hard to pick just one memorable moment I had with my students because they're all memorable. What I loved most was watching my students grow and mature,” Hernandez said. “In their first year, they come in with little to no knowledge about law enforcement; a lot of them think it is what they see on T.V. By the end of the year, they can understand it and that always brings a smile to my face,” Hernandez said.
The impact Hernandez has left at Eastwood will be felt for many years to come. He gave his all for the El Paso community, SISD, and Troopers. He has managed to build a legacy not only in law enforcement, but also at El Paso’s Finest. Troopers are lucky to have called themselves a student in his class. Farewell Mr. Hernandez, you will be missed.
For 25 years, he served the El Paso community as a police officer and a detective. Additionally, he worked as an officer for the Socorro Independent School District for eight years.
He was born and raised in El Paso and graduated from Ysleta High School in 76’. Antonio Hernandez is a hardworking person who will stop at nothing to get the job done. On the other hand, he is a family-oriented person who has devoted his life to his wife, children, and grandchildren. He loves to make the people around him laugh.
Hernandez explains how he got the life-altering start to his career in law enforcement, “Both my positions were from pure opportunity. Back in 82’, I was working at El Paso Utilities and one day I saw a flyer advertising a job hiring for EPPD. I decided to take the opportunity and join,” Hernandez said. “I completed the training and there I was 25 years later. I retired back in 2006 as a detective.”
Edward Castro, Eastwood High retired Law Enforcement teacher, and dear friend to Hernandez recounts the time he met him. “I met Tony back in 1982 when he joined the police department. That year I was his senior training officer. We were both working patrol in the downtown area for five years together. It is very rare for officers to stay that long together as partners” he said. “You depend on your partner to take care of your back, and he did just that. My life was in his hands and his was in mine.”
After retiring from EPPD, Hernandez got a job at SISD in 2006 where he worked as an officer. “I decided to join SISD-PD that year. I planned on retiring for good from that job, but things definitely took a turn for me when I got a call from Mr. Castro,” Hernandez said. “I got a call from him telling me about a job opening here at Eastwood. He said that he would help me get the teaching job. About two years later, I was finally hired in 2014.”
“I knew that the students would love him, that is why I pushed so hard to get the school administration to hire him and teach at Eastwood High,” Castro said.
Hernandez has been a teacher at Eastwood High since 2014. Nine years later, he is finally ready to close the chapter and retire. “It has been both an experience and a challenge. I’ve learned a lot about life, both the negative and positive aspects of it. Teaching is a big challenge because you must come prepared every day and be ready to teach your lessons,” Hernandez said.
“I never got the opportunity to watch him teach but I can tell you this; his students adored him. I know because I had the pleasure of teaching his students the next year. They would always tell me how much they enjoyed his class,” Castro said. “His students had a lot of love and respect for him and so do I.”
Although Hernandez’s chapter as a teacher has ended, a new chapter of his life has opened. “I’m looking forward to relaxing and spending more time with my wife, my children, and my grandkids. I’m also excited to take some much-needed alone time,” Hernandez said. “I’m an outdoorsman so I might go check out Yellowstone.”
“I’m going to miss Eastwood and my students, but I am ready to move on. It is hard to pick just one memorable moment I had with my students because they're all memorable. What I loved most was watching my students grow and mature,” Hernandez said. “In their first year, they come in with little to no knowledge about law enforcement; a lot of them think it is what they see on T.V. By the end of the year, they can understand it and that always brings a smile to my face,” Hernandez said.
The impact Hernandez has left at Eastwood will be felt for many years to come. He gave his all for the El Paso community, SISD, and Troopers. He has managed to build a legacy not only in law enforcement, but also at El Paso’s Finest. Troopers are lucky to have called themselves a student in his class. Farewell Mr. Hernandez, you will be missed.