English 2 teacher Matt Yocum has joined the Campolindo staff starting this August. Further, he is acting as the long-term substitute for Micole Schwantes’ Pre-Calculus and Algebra 1 classes until she takes over.

Yocum chose to come to Campo because he feels like he can “relate to a lot of the struggles and experiences” of the students here. Further, he appreciates the school for its atmosphere because it creates the type of environment in which he wanted to work. Yocum noted that he had a wonderful experience at Campolindo thus far, since the “staff has been very welcoming” and the students have made him feel like “a part of the community.”

Yocum completed his student teaching at Concord High School and then went on to finish graduate school at Saint Mary’s College. Since the pandemic happened as he was graduating, Yocum was presented with challenges as a teacher with very little experience. He decided to take “a couple years off and start [his] own tutoring business,” which allowed him to learn more about teaching, even if it was virtual.

Yocum knew from a young age that he wanted a job that involved speaking in front of people, “so teaching was a natural fit.” He decided to major in English because of the AP Literature class he took his senior year of highschool. He loved the class so much, he knew he had to teach the subject.

Sophomore Quinn Clifford, a student in Yocum’s English 2 class, said he enjoys Yocum’s class immensely. Particularly, Clifford appreciates the activities they have done this year. “We watched a short story and took notes…and we’ve done some ‘get to know you’ activities.”

Clifford notes the teacher’s benevolent and enthusiastic personality. He enjoys that Yocum is younger, in relation to other teachers, because it is easier to relate to him.

Initially Yocum’s main goal, besides working to improve his students’ writing and math skills, is to get as integrated into the community as possible. “I [would like to be] an assistant coach for track and field when that starts in February. [Also,] I plan on going to the football games, chaperoning homecoming, [and] just doing what I can to be involved with the campus life and the student life.”