Hoover High School is thrilled to welcome Mr. Trinidad, our new Living Earth teacher. His journey to teaching is truly inspiring, rooted in his upbringing in a family of educators. Growing up, he was captivated by stories from school, which sparked his passion for teaching.
When asked why he chose Hoover, Mr. Trinidad shared, “I applied to a lot of places, regardless of how far they were, and interviewed at many schools. Hoover was one of the places that said yes, and honestly, I’m glad I came here, even though it’s an hour drive.” Before joining Hoover, he taught at North High School for two years and spent a year as a substitute teacher.
Mr. Trinidad credits several colleagues at Hoover for their support as he transitioned into his new role, particularly support staff Ms. Ava Fayaz and Ms. Hrachik Sardarbegian, and co-science department chairs Mrs. Cynthia Chan and Mr. Eric Robinson.
“They have been awesome and have helped me with a lot of things. Mrs. Chan, who also teaches biology, is quick to assist with anything I need.”
Showing a strong interest in science from a young age, Mr. Trinidad preferred National Geographic documentaries to cartoons. This passion led him to study biology in college, where he realized it was the subject he wanted to teach. Initially, he thought he would pursue a career in mechanical engineering, but after discovering it wasn’t what he expected, he switched his major to biology, which changed the course of his career.
When asked about the most challenging part of teaching, he said, “You’d think it would be managing students or helping them understand the lessons, but that’s the easiest part. The hardest part is getting ready to teach you all.”
Safety in the classroom is a top priority for Mr. Trinidad. “Even if you know exactly what you’re doing, I still make you wear goggles and aprons. Even a one percent chance something could go wrong is too risky for me,” he explained. To keep students engaged, he does a lot of labs, stating, “That’s the only way to keep students interested. If I just gave you worksheets, you wouldn’t be as engaged.”
Outside of teaching, Mr. Trinidad enjoys working on cars, playing tennis, taking kickboxing classes with his wife, and playing video games. “I’m just your usual person,” he joked. He is a sports fan, particularly of football, supporting the Miami Dolphins, whose poster hangs in his classroom. He also enjoys watching tennis and occasionally basketball.
He has a few collections, including bugs, shoes, and watches. In a light-hearted moment, he added, “Let’s see, what else does my wife say I have a lot of?”
Mr. Trinidad has been married for five years but has been with his wife for a total of 16 years. They have a Chihuahua and Corgi mix named Frankie (whose photo is the lock screen on Mr. Trinidad’s phone!). “She has a long body like a Corgi but the face of a Chihuahua.” added Mr. Trinidad proudly.
A well-traveled individual, Mr. Trinidad has visited Canada, the Philippines, London, and Australia, where he has family. “I have family everywhere,” he said.
He appreciates the friendly and helpful atmosphere at Hoover, noting that even if someone doesn’t know the answer, they’ll find another person who can help. With his passion for biology and commitment to his students, Mr. Trinidad is sure to make a positive impact at Hoover High School.
*Correction: An earlier version of this story was accidentally credited to Hasmik Shaghoyan. She took the photograph. Ellen Hunanyan wrote the story.
