Goodbye, Ms. Meza

Farewell to a Raider
By Jethro Jay Narciso

Bon Voyage!

That's French for “safe journey”! Why exactly are we saying this? Well, if you haven't heard, Room 404 has undergone a slight change, a change of teachers that is! The ROP Culinary Arts teacher, Ms. Meza, has had a sudden change in plans this semester. Instead of finishing off this semester, Ms. Meza has made a tough decision to move to Texas to be with her husband. She notes that she had been asked to move to Texas numerous times before, but each and every time the question was asked, she would always choose to remain as a Raider.

Although Ms. Meza longed to be with her husband, she states that one of the reasons for staying is the students. With her short stay of two and a half years at Southwest, she has come to see that Raiders are some of the best kids she has ever seen. She grew up in the South Bay, attending Hilltop High, where she says it wasn't always the best. That’s why she was amazed when she came to Southwest to teach. They break the high school stereotypes of bullies and whatnot. All the students got along, they make the best of friends, they are respectful, are just a few points on the long list of why Southwest has the best kids.

A month before her departure, Ms. Meza introduced Ms. Birchfield to the class. They ran the class together so that the transition would be as smooth as possible. However for three weeks, Ms. Meza dominantly ran the class, while Ms. Birchfield would sit in the back taking notes. On the fourth week, the two teachers switched up their spots.

On the last day before her departure, Ms. Meza gave her farewell speech, where she stated, “I don’t think I’ll ever find myself teaching again because I’ll never find kids as great as you guys ever again.” She goes on to say how much of a joy we have been to her. She tearfully said, “I love you all as my younger siblings. I’m glad to have been your older sister.”

Southwest High would like to give Ms. Meza a big thank you for all that she has done for us. She may have been specifically a Culinary Arts teacher, but she has taught us not just about food, but about life. Whether it was her being a teacher, a friend, or even an older sister, she has truly shown what being a Raider is all about. Remember, Ms. Meza: “Once a Raider, always a Raider!”