You walk into Room 607 and notice microscopes, a chalkboard with several drawings of cells, models of projects made by other students, and lab stations sprawled across the classroom. With the sun radiating in through the windows, you know from the start this is a science class. But not just any science class. A science class that is ready to teach you everything you could ever imagine learning in a biology class.
That was then. This is now. A world filled with Covid-19 and online learning.
But whether we’re in person or online, many freshmen and sophomores spend an eventful day learning in Room 607. Not only is it a place for honors or AP Biology classes, but it has become a great environment for helping our peers, hanging out and socializing. This place has been appealing for a number of students with a variety of backgrounds. But who is the one behind this success? The answer: Dr. Llamas, a new face in the Humanities Magnet staff. The man on a mission to help make a change in the world by influencing students.
Like a number of the faculty here, Dr. Llamas instantly knew LA was his home. He grew up in East LA, and had a strong passion for medicine and science. He attended UC Irvine for his undergraduate and his degree in biology.
Becoming a teacher wasn’t always at the top of his list. His passions as a young child drove him to pursue a career as a doctor, specifically a physician. During his last years in college, he volunteered at several high schools, and eventually realized that he wanted to help children. He attained his degrees in teaching before graduating. Later on, he heard LAUSD was recruiting teachers. Feeling ambitious, he applied to teach, and was accepted. He began his teaching career at Santa Ana High School in 1993. He’s been teaching for roughly 27 years, but this is his 4th year here at Hami.
One of the biggest challenges that he had to overcome was surviving college. His hope is that what you learned in high school will help you in college. He struggled a lot, partially because there wasn’t as much support as there is today. However, he overcame this obstacle by finding whatever help he could find. Looking back on that experience, he advises his students to flourish in high school as much as they can so that they are prepared for the next step in their academic journey. He wants his students to have a better time in college than he did.
When asked about what it is that he enjoys about teaching, he gave three responses. The first one is that he’s on a mission to leave behind a difference in the world. He wants to create curious, compassionate, intelligent people who are kind to each other and are willing to heal each other. Dr. Llamas believes this is the “generation to be a healer. It doesn’t matter. Do something.” His biggest hope is that we will inspire the young to maintain stability and sanity in the world.
The second one is the moment when his students tell him they enjoy his class and can apply the biological skills they learned in real life. For example when a student says the lectures he gives on cell division and genetics are very informative and relative to life, this makes him happy, because he knows that what he teaches will help students while they are finding cures for diseases related to these topics. Dr. Llamas is glad whenever something like this happens, and feels reassured that his students are motivated and engaged in the class, and want to learn more. He believes that in life, you are always learning, so he believes he’s on the right path to making a difference.
The last one is the moment when he sees his former students again. Seeing that they’re happy and have a great life now also makes Dr. Llamas very happy because he knows now that his teaching has paid off. In one case, he saw one of his former students one day, and the student had told him that he’s now studying marine biology in Hawaii. He says that the skills on ecology that he learned from Dr. Llamas is a recurring topic in his new class.
One of Dr. Llamas’ favorite activities is walking. He enjoys going outside and taking a walk out in nature. During one summer, he studied abroad in Europe where he hiked the entire El Camino de Santiago, which is a hiking trail that runs through Spain and Portugal.
When asked about the one thing he wants all of his students to know about him, it’s that he wants all of his students to explore and reflect on their life. He advises to take some time out of your routine to think about your life, even if you feel as if you don’t have time. He tells students to celebrate our mistakes in life, and make sure we are the first person to apologize for our mistakes. Finally, he advises his students to thank the people in their lives who have made them who they are.
This. Is. Dr. Llamas!
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