Collette Sweeney, Photography, Advanced Photography, and AP 2D Design teacher has decided to conclude her teaching career with Campo and retire at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Sweeney, who has taught in the district for twenty-two years, plans to move onto more adventures beyond teaching.
Sweeney first came to the district looking for a school with a strong academic reputation and one that supports visual arts. “I think the very best way to evaluate a school culture is to ask students directly. The very first day I walked across campus I asked a student, who happened to be the senior student council president, for his impression of the school climate. He responded with charming A+ answers!” said Sweeney.
For her first couple years in the district, she taught computer applications and web design. However her background allowed her to pursue her passion of art, photography, and computer design applications.
Her twenty-two years in the district, first in Las Lomas and currently at Campolindo, have been defined by her teaching of fundamental art and photography skills to many students. When asked about the fundamentals that stuck with him, sophomore AP Photo student Aiden Davis answered, “photography, composition, and how to take good compositions in general, how to balance every subject together.”
“She was really helpful in teaching some of the Photoshop tools and some of the compositional elements too,” said senior AP Photo student James Weldon.
Sweeney’s class is unique in the fact that it embodies a “different approach. We’re on our computers a lot, messing around with Photoshop, just playing around,” said Davis. He also remembers her unique teaching style, “She will tell you what she thinks at that moment, which is helpful…because sometimes you just need an honest person to critique your work.”
Weldon agreed that AP Photo stands out because, “I could make my own art in whatever way I wanted and she would support that and give me feedback.”
Students are allowed a lot of freedom in her class, and it is not short of memorable moments. For Sweeney, “deep discussions with my students on current events, ethics, or even pop culture are by far the most memorable.”
Weldon delved back to a fond memory when asked about his favorite Sweeney moment. He described, “going out at night to take photos and being really happy with the results. Just the satisfaction and seeing her appreciate the photos.”
As her teaching career comes to a close Sweeney admitted, “technology has had the biggest impact on learning, mostly positive, and with AI now in the mix, it’s hard to know what the future holds.” Despite all the unknown she said, “…with all these changes, I find comfort in knowing that the very same activities and traditions, homecoming, prom, dances, that I experienced in high school are still relevant and valuable to kids today.”
While she will miss working with teens, Sweeney mentioned that she is looking forward to the next adventure in her retirement. Whether it be sailing, traveling, biking, or learning to play guitar, she is ready to start a new chapter.
