Born and raised in Simi Valley, English teacher Ms. Samantha Wallace was uncertain about what career to pursue for a long time. After graduating from Simi Valley High School, she attended California State University, Northridge as a finance major until she realized that it wasn’t her calling. When Ms. Wallace switched to major in English and had the opportunity to be a teacher’s assistant for freshman-level English, she noticed how unprepared students were for writing and reading at a college level. This sparked her interest in becoming a teacher. She earned her teaching position the year LAUSD went virtual, so this is her first full year of in-person instruction. Ms. Wallace jokes that she loves working here and wants to stay until she dies or retires, whichever comes first.
1. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pupusas, hands down. They’re so good; you have the cabbage and the salsa. I love spicy food. Plus, I’d never get sick of pupusas. Follow-up is pancit. They’re very close, but I’ll go with pupusas.
2. Do you prefer going out or staying at home on a Friday night?
Staying in. Netflix. Anime. I just downloaded Crunchyroll, so I’ve been binge-watching a little bit. I’m super new to anime; my students and friends got me into it. I just finished Jujutsu Kaisen and now I’m watching Attack on Titan. After that, it’s going to be Demon Slayer. I heard that these were the three that I should start with. After those, I have a giant list.
3. What was the last movie you watched, and how did you feel about it?
Rise of the Guardians because it was leaving Netflix and I wanted to watch Santa kick butt before it left. It’s leaving on the 31st.
4. Would you say you’re more of an optimist or pessimist?
I think I’m in the middle. You have to catch me in a mood to be optimistic and you have to catch me in an angry mood to be a pessimist. I think I’m more like a realist so definitely somewhere in the middle.
5. How old were you when you got your first job? What was it?
I was 18 and I worked in a library so the threads of me being an EnglishEnglish major were sewn very early. I just put books back on the shelves at the library and they paid me minimum wage for it. I got free books all the time so it was a nice first job to have. If you start off volunteering, then it’s easier to get hired.
6. What would be the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery?
Definitely travel. I love traveling, but I’m too poor to do it right now. If I won, then I’d be traveling all the time. I’d love to go back to Spain. There are a few places that I want to go, but they aren’t safe right now, like Russia. I’d also love to go to Scotland and Ireland because I’m part Scottish.
7. Who has impressed you the most with what they’ve accomplished?
I think it’s got to be my grandma. She was in the Philippines during World War II, so she and the rest of her family had to hide in villages. She came to America and started over from scratch, so if I ever have to bow down to someone, then it’s going to be my grandma.
8. What mystery do you wish you knew the answer to?
I don’t know; maybe knowing if there is a higher power. That’d be less stressful because if you know there is a higher power, then you’d do what they tell you to in that religion or whatever it may be, but if there isn’t then you’d get to chill. You’re still a good person, but you won’t feel too pressured to act a certain way.
