November 11 was a long awaited date for students and teachers alike. After a full month without lengthened weekends, Veterans Day comes as a well deserved break to sit back and relax. However, not only is it a day to sleep in and forget about the school workload, but a day to honor our country’s veterans. One veteran stands within reach at West High: Mr. Reyes.

   To most, Mr. Reyes is a computer science and statistics teacher. But before assuming that title, Mr. Reyes served in three branches of the military: the Marine Corps, the National Guard, and the Army. During his time serving our country, Mr. Reyes made notable memories such as being deployed to Afghanistan and forming countless lifelong friendships.

   Mr. Reyes credits his military experience with the strong character he carries today. “Life in the military has prepared me to deal with any kind of hardship in civilian life,” he stated. “It definitely takes you out of your comfort zone.”

   After his military service, Mr. Reyes attended college and began tutoring math and science, adopting a passion for education. Later, although he initially applied to be a long-term substitute teacher at Bert Lynn Middle School, he was hired at West High, where he has been teaching for 22 years.

   As a teacher, Mr. Reyes prioritizes not only teaching his students the required curriculum, but also the moral values acquired from his experiences. Mr. Reyes makes it a point in his teaching to “lead by example,” promoting the value of “integrity, selfless service, drive, having grit, being tough, and not giving up.”

   This style of teaching is well received by his students. Lauren Park (11) shared that Mr. Reyes “calls his assignments ‘operations’” and “uses military analogies to motivate” his students.

   Mr. Reyes described Veterans Day as a day to “recognize the sacrifice” of retired members of the military. While catching a break is important, as we close the textbooks and turn off our morning alarms, we should also take the time to honor those who served our country.