You have probably noticed that we have a few new teachers this year at ESHS. You may have noticed one teacher in particular. Her name is Ms. Silvey, and she is one of the new English teachers this year, and although she may look young, you may be surprised to know she has been teaching for ten years. The Pepperdine graduate comes to us from Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, where she used to teach English, Journalism, Film as Literarure and was a part of an environmental careers academy. This year she will be teaching English 9 and English 11, and she is enthusiastic to be the new supervisor of "The Eagle Maniacs," our school improvisation team. Since the former supervisor of the team, Mr. Waedekin, is not returning this year, many of the team members were left wondering what would happen to their team. Fortunately Ms. Silvey came to the rescue, and will be a great supervisor, considering she has connections with "Second City West" and other well known improv companies around the area. Regardless, the "Eagle Maniacs" are thrilled to have such a promising replacement. 

Ms. Silvey admits she did not always want to be a teacher, and that she actually wanted to work in international affairs and be a diplomat. But while studying at Pepperdine, she realized she hated what she was studying, but that she really loved her English classes. She had to make a decision on what she wanted to do for the rest of her life, and she came to realize she would be happy teaching English. (She also thinks she would make a good interior decorator, or President.) Although she admits she was not the best student in school and says, "I was one of those students who got a lot of lectures about not living up to my potential," she maintained a 3.2 GPA through high school and got into Pepperdine. "I just wasn't always pushing for that A," says Ms. Silvey. She may have been busy in high school having fun with her friends and making the best out her time there. She admits she was a bit of a rebel when she attended Hawthorne High, and some of her favorite memories included starting the "Vegetable Rights Protest," as opposed to the "Animal Rights Protest," and creating a chess tournament in the middle of El Segundo Boulevard, where she and friends played with cars rushing by on both sides. She believed in creating her own fun and not just settling for provided entertainment such as movies and television. Yet, she admits she has calmed down a bit these days and she likes to do Yoga and read in her spare time. She can also be found hanging out in Jazz clubs (she doesn't enjoy today's popular music), and spending time with friends and family. 

Ms. Silvey says that her reasons for leaving Leuzinger High involved administrative problems, and that is why she was enthusiastic to come to a school with such a good reputation and "a genius principal." Ms. Silvey states, "I just wanted to get back to the business of teaching." As far as her teaching principles go, she feels that she is strict and nice at the same time, if that is possible. It is important to her to make sure her students are learning, but she doesn't want to have to grind it into them; she feels learning should come naturally. Ms. Silvey states, "I am strict in my expectations, but that doesn't make me mean." She is looking forward to working with the students and staff, who are all very nice, and the principal whom she "just can't say enough about." So, if you see Ms. Silvey around school, talk to her. She is a very interesting and intelligent person. She states, "El Segundo has a lot going for it, and I hope to be a good addition."

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