Ms. Castillo is in her 12th year of teaching; she teaches sophomore English and Speech and Debate, as well as coaching the speech and debate team.

Ms. Castillo describes coaching speech and debate as the most rewarding part of her job. She adds that speech and debate was a very formative experience for her in her high school years. She grew up rather shy, and being forced into the speech team by a friend allowed her to come out of her shell.

“Starting the speech and debate team is what helped me find my place here, and I have felt really moved by how quickly it’s caught on here, and just really excited to see the number of kids who are interested,” Ms. Castillo adds.

Another thing Ms. Castillo enjoys about Atherton’s environment is how generally accepting students and staff are. She describes Atherton as the first school she felt fully comfortable being out as a lesbian. She is happy to teach in an environment in which she will be supported if someone does take issue with her identity.

In Castillo’s personal life, she enjoys staying physically active. She lifts weights and does rock climbing, biking, and skating. Furthermore, she plays video games and watches copious amounts of TV.

When asked for a word of advice to students, Ms. Castillo replied, “Be kind, not just to other people, but also to yourself.”