BY NICOLE DOMINGUEZ
“I’m always trying something new to get everyone motivated and happy,” Tiana Mayo said.
Mayo is a dedicated teacher that is always trying to improve for her students. She has been teaching for more than seven years and this year, she won department teacher of the year in math. Mayo currently teaches Algebra 2 and AVID. She is also the 2017 class council adviser.
Every since Mayo was a little girl, she dreamed of becoming a teacher. She has always enjoyed helping people in whatever way she possibly could. She went to Saint Lucy’s Priory High School an all girls school in Glendora and attended UC Santa Barbara, but then transferred to UC Riverside because of their amazing business program.
“It made me feel good when I understood how to do something and I could share that,” Mayo said.
As a teacher, Mayo said that the best part of her job would be helping the kids understand whatever she is teaching and when they have that one spark and say “I got it!” Mayo is very generous with sharing everything that could benefit the students.
“It makes me feel happy when someone understands and I can help them,” Mayo said.
Before working here, Mayo started substituting in 2001, got her first classroom at Charter Oak High School in 2006 and came here to WCHS in 2009. Her best memory here would be when her room was painted purple because it’s her favorite color and it’s part of her class council. Another memory would be when her first class, the class of 2013, graduated because she had grown along with them with her teaching.
When she is not at work, Mayo cares for her beautiful baby girl, Ariana. She enjoys watching her grow, buying cute bows for her and overall caring for her. Mayo experiments with her to see if she could grow herself within parenting. Other than caring for her baby, two of Mayo’s biggest hobbies are reading and dancing.
Mayo first found out she had won the award, when math teacher, Jeffery Kelley came into her third period and announced to the whole class while being his funny self. She was extremely excited.
“I try really hard to be supportive of the other math teachers and learn from the other math teachers as well. I’m always trying to learn new ways of teaching and to go outside my comfort zone to help the students learn,” Mayo said.
For this reason, Mayo won department teacher of the year in mathematics.
On her nomination form, staff members wrote, “Tiana’s influence goes beyond the classroom. Students and staff can turn to her for advice and help. She always does things with positivity and a smile.”
