The Teacher of the Month for May is Cameron Kroll. Kroll has been teaching for 25 years, the majority of which has been spent in the Hughson Unified School District. This is now his fifth year at Hughson High School teaching Advanced Placement and regular United States History. 

One thing that makes Kroll’s history lessons stand out is his ability to bring the subject to life. Kroll said he tries to utilize a wide variety of activities so that every student has an opportunity to feel successful. Andrea Ochoa, senior at HHS remembers playing a game to help memorize the entire U.S. History timeline while preparing for the Advanced Placement exam. Furthermore, Kroll said “I also try to be completely honest with my students; our history is often ugly but knowing that is how we move forward as a society.” 

Kroll is the kind of teacher that will go above and beyond for students, said senior at HHS Kyleigh Conroy. In fact, Kroll’s favorite part of teaching is building a relationship with his students. He loves to do this by greeting them with a fist bump each day and getting to know them as individuals. This simple act can serve as a branch for the student to become more engaged with school and the community. 

Growing up in Ripon, Kroll said he loves the similar, “small town America feel of Hughson and the close knit community that comes with that.” 

Kroll’s favorite memories at Hughson High School have been the extracurricular events he has attended. He has greatly enjoyed being able to watch students excel at their passions outside the classroom; “I love cheering them on.”

One piece of advice Kroll would like to give to students is to “Take pride in everything you do.  Make it “Fridge Worthy!” Also to quote Gladiator; “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.” 

Krolll’s advice to any new teachers is to focus on building relationships with your students first. He continues, “Students will go the extra mile for you if they know you truly care about them as individuals.” When asked to describe Mr. Kroll, senior at HHS, Layla Johnson immediately noted his compassion towards students.