Elisa T. – Making History Come Alive
Elisa first joined Banner Academy in 2021 as an Education Coordinator to gain experience in the teaching field. During her tenure, she rotated and worked in all of the classrooms, which not only exposed her to the many courses taught at Banner Academy but also allowed her to determine where she ultimately wanted to focus her teaching career. Elisa left Banner Academy in the 2023 school year to work as a full-time teacher in the Laveen School District, but lucky for us, she realized that Banner Academy is where she wants to be. Now, Elisa is our Social Studies teacher.
On December 18, 2025, students interviewed Elisa as part of our “Meet the Teacher” series. Here is the transcript of the student-led interview with “Miss Elisa,” as she is called:
Q: (Patrick) “What is your favorite era or time period in history?”
A: “I would say the Colonial Era. I know it’s probably not the hippest time period, but I like the big dresses and the jewelry that women wore. People weren’t in sweatpants every day.”
Q: (Daivyan) “How do you have patience to deal with all these students?”
A: “I genuinely like what I do. Some days are definitely difficult, but for the most part, I love seeing you all grow as individuals. It’s really rewarding. I can see you guys growing up and developing into strong, young adults.”
Q: (Daivyan – Follow-Up) “What’s your least favorite part of the job?”
A: “My least favorite part is the clean-up. I don’t like seeing all the pencils and chewed up pens and everything on the floor.”
Q: (Luke) “How do you make all the assignments?”
A: “Well, some of them are directly from your textbooks; others are from Blookets that I make to help you review. I also use information from your textbooks and do some research to create projects. And I sometimes work with Ms. Leslie to collaborate on projects, like the voting project from last year.”
Q: (Aiden) “How many animals do you have?”
A: “I have two dogs. I have Mr. Toby, who is the big, fluffy dog here, and I have a dog named Sedona, my pitbull terrier. She likes to sleep and eat. She also snores a lot.”
Q: (Robert) “What is your favorite dog breed and why?”
A: “My favorite dog breed is pitbulls. I love Toby, but I love pitbulls. Sedona is basically a big land seal who wants to snuggle all day.”
Q: (Ava) “What do you dislike most, in general?”
A: “A dirty house. I don’t like it when I see clothes on the floor or trash piling up. I end up going into cleaning mode if I see a dirty house.”
Q: (David) “What is your favorite type of sandwich?”
A: “My favorite type of sandwich actually is from Jimmy Johns. I believe it’s called a Hunter’s Club. It’s ham, turkey, provolone cheese, and lettuce. It has everything on it.”
Q: (Michael) “Where is your favorite place to visit?”
A: “I would say my favorite place is Sedona. I love Sedona for its views and rivers, especially in the summer. My husband and I love to spend time there.”
Thank you, Elisa, for taking the time to let the students learn a little more about you.
Haley S. – Welcome to Banner Academy!
Haley recently joined Banner Academy as the new Educational Coordinator in English. Since the students wanted to learn more about “Ms. Haley,” as they call her, they wanted to interview her. Students wrote a question during English class on our classroom Padlet, then transcribed the answers on the same digital tool. The classroom teacher recorded the interview so students’ quotes could be verified. The transcript of the Q&A is as follows:
Q: (Mischa) “How do you like the school so far?”
A (Haley): “It’s been really fun so far. I love talking to everyone and getting to know the students better.”
Q: (Nik) “Where did you go to college and what did you like most about it?”
A: I went to college in Idaho. The school is called BYUI, which stands for Brigham Young University – Idaho. The best part about it was being in a location with so many trees and being in nature.”
Q: (Austin) “What made you want to start working here?”
A: “I was really interested in working with people who have learning struggles because I have had my own struggles in school in the past.”
Q: (Max) “Are you a cat or a dog person?”
A: It really depends on my mood, but I really enjoy both. But I don’t have a living situation right now that allows me to have pets.”
Q: (Cielo) “What is your favorite book?”
A: “The Stormlight Series, which are fantasy books. I have really enjoyed reading them. You can get easily hooked on the books.”
Q: (Abby) “What book has had the most impact on you?”
A: “That’s a good question. It might sound odd but books about survival tips.”
Q: (Aiden) “What is your favorite video game and why?”
A: “My favorite video game is Pokeman Diamond and Pearl. It’s the first game I played, and it’s what started my love of video games. That’s why it is my favorite.”
Q: (Caroline) “If you could live in a different world, what would it be like?”
A: “I’d like a place with peace and a place with happier people.”
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