HUMOR | ALBUQUERQUE
Lessons that lasted a lifetime
Zach Abeyta is a comedian born in Santa Fe.
A good teacher will inspire you to go above and beyond, just like they do in their teaching. I was lucky to have a few teachers that left an everlasting impression on me, and maybe even shaped the path I took in life.
Growing up in the 鈥90s and 鈥2000s in Albuquerque seemed almost magical as a child. We had Planet Fun, The Beach waterpark, Putt-Putt (which is making a glorious return as Putts N Pints). There was so much to do that the last place we ever wanted to be was the classroom.
Certain teachers showed me how important knowledge was 鈥 that knowledge was really power for a kid, a way to open up opportunities, a ticket to really understanding the world. Growing up in a single-parent home, these were some of the things I wished for the most.
I got in trouble a lot for talking. Who would have guessed?
My teachers said I would just finish my work early and be bored, distracting others. I remember my mom being told this during a teacher-parent meeting.
I was just curious. I always had questions, which some teachers would disregard. But not Ms. Whiting my fourth and fifth grade teacher at Sombre Del Monte Elementary. She moved up to teach fifth grade and kept the same class because she liked teaching us so much. One of the first acts of kindness where I saw a teacher go beyond just teaching.
The year was 2000, and as we shifted into a new millennium, Ms. Whiting became Mrs. Noice after she got married that summer. She had a segment that year where she taught us to play violin. She had played growing up and had an avid passion, which quickly was passed down to me. She started a violin club after school. I attended every one. I thought I was like a little Sherlock Holmes with my violin or the Great Mouse Detective. Mrs. Noice showed me passion and patience as she prepared us for middle school, a kid鈥檚 first big change in life.
That summer we moved to the North Valley, which meant I was going to a different school than all my friends. Garfield Middle School with its different classes to walk to each period, your own locker, and different options for lunch and algebra. This was a lot for a 12-year-old!
In seventh grade my English teacher, Ms. Rivera, told me I had a talent for writing and especially talking. She had a way to make reading and writing fun and engaging. She showed us the importance of education but gave us room for our personalities to grow and showed us how important it was to be ourselves.
Ms. Rivera let me be her student aide, and it felt like my first real job. I took it seriously too. She chaperoned our class trip to New York and Washington 鈥 my first big trip ever. She even let us practice moves before the middle school dance, so we weren鈥檛 nervous on the dance floor. A cool teacher move for sure.
It鈥檚 funny that I started breakdancing, got my degree in writing, and do stand-up comedy full time. Little did she know she would become one of my biggest influences.
In high school at Valley my favorite class was marine biology my junior year which came along with my favorite teacher, Mr. Chertoff, who I already had for pre-AP biology and homeroom.
He lit up the room with his tall frame and even bigger smile.
He told us stories of treasure hunting in the ocean, only to stop one year before the crew found treasure they were looking for. We dissected animals, and he would crack jokes so we didn鈥檛 feel uncomfortable. He would lecture with his hand facing towards himself and pinched together like a sock puppet. He would fall asleep during every science movie even if it was only 10 minutes.
He took us on a trip to San Diego to see the zoo and SeaWorld. He put my room right next to his because he thought I might go on some nighttime side quests. After the second night some kids got in trouble for sneaking out. That morning during breakfast he told me how proud he was that he could trust me. That feeling alone showed me how powerful honesty and respect are. He died several years back, but the morals and memories will never be forgotten.
I thank him, Mrs. Noice and Ms. Rivera for shaping the person I am.