School days side by side: the experiences of familial connections found on campus
As the afternoon sun begins to dip, junior Ty Thompson finishes his final lap around the track, while his dad, kinesiology teacher and head track and field coach Keith Thompson, checks his stopwatch. Nearby, sophomore Jake Thompson, Ty’s younger brother, shakes off the dust as his pole vault clatters on the mat.
Mr. Thompson has spent years mentoring student athletes — including his two younger sons, Ty and Jake, who in addition to track and field, also do wrestling and waterpolo respectively. Both have grown up surrounded by the sport that their dad loves and also receive his support.
“He gives pointers because he knows a lot about the sport. [He is] there all the time and will always go out of his way to attend my games, meets and events,” Jake said.
Beyond the sports world, the two feel many benefits of being able to ask their dad for advice in school and life.
“Since he’s a coach, he knows what students are going through. Whenever I have issues, he knows what to do, what to say and how to help me through problems,” Ty said. “[For example], if I have issues with scheduling or homework, he always gives me good advice on how to better manage my time.”
Having kids at Walnut allows Mr. Thompson to frequently check-up and to see them interact and have fun with their friends. This special connection gives every Thompson a stronger bond.
Common misconceptions are that both Jake and Ty receive multiple added benefits and special privileges. However, Mr. Thompson still makes both of his kids try out and attend practice just like the rest of the track and field team.
“People always think I can just show up late to track practices because [my dad] is the coach,” Jake said. “But there is nothing like that. He treats me the same as he would with any other student or athlete and he expects the same responsibility from me as anyone else.”
Especially with Ty and Jake’s older brother Jack Thompson graduating last year, Mr. Thompson makes sure to enjoy the remaining years while his sons are still at Walnut.
“It’s been the best experience. When they’re here, I feel like they are a part of my world, and I am a part of theirs,” Mr. Thompson said. “I get to see them in a light that most parents don’t get to see. I get to be here and see all the behind the scenes stuff that they get to do, [and] get to be around for a really cool part of their lives for their four years of high school.” Ω
At 8 p.m., social science teacher Bill Bosanko knocks on senior Faith Bosanko’s bedroom door to see if she is up for some fun. As “Gravity Falls” streams in the background of their living room, they settle down and begin to play their favorite board game, Catan, together.
Faith is the last of four of Mr. Bosanko’s children to go through Walnut. Mr. Bosanko assisted his wife in Faith’s homeschooling before her transition to Walnut, where he was her junior year U.S. History teacher and will be her civics teacher this upcoming semester. She also currently TA’s for his psychology class, but besides a change of location, both Bosankos do not feel much difference in the learning environment they share.
“[Having him as a teacher] was kind of funny sometimes, because he would say stuff and I would be the only person [in class] who understood it. I don’t think a lot of people realize how sarcastic he is — but then when I’m around, I can kind of go back and forth with him,” Faith said.
As much as Mr. Bosanko has shaped her educational journey, he has also heavily influenced Faith’s analytical skills.
“I get her to challenge my thinking,” Mr. Bosanko said. “I come in with nonsensical conclusions and then she has to figure out the type of logical fallacy being presented. She is very good at it.”
Bosanko had Faith when he was 18 years into his teaching career. Since then, Faith has been coming to campus since she was 5 years old, reminiscing on her transition into high school as well as a bittersweet feeling she is anticipating after her graduation.
“The transition [to high school] was a lot more than people would think because I was used to just going to [my dad’s] classroom and sitting there, and then all of a sudden I [had to] go everywhere else on campus,” Faith said. “I’m excited to go to college, for sure — it just feels strange now that I’m not going to come back [to Walnut] very often.”
Coming to campus over the years together has strengthened their bond and Mr. Bosanko takes pride in seeing Faith grow.
“I’ve gotten to see her more than I would otherwise, and I also have an intuitive understanding of what she tells me about school. I’m excited to see where she’s going. The progress goes on, and she does well and so I look forward to further conversations with her as she becomes more and more educated,” Mr. Bosanko said. “I love Faith very much.” Ω
As Video Production, Graphic Design and English teacher Karen Alorro wraps up her first period class, she receives a call from her son, freshman Zachaeus Alorro, asking her to get him Chipotle for lunch. With a sigh, Ms. Alorro chuckles and tells her son that she’ll get it for him during third period.
Having family on campus offers the familiarity of home, providing comfort to both parents and kids. Ms. Alorro’s oldest son, Ethan Alorro, was able to enjoy this luxury during his time in high school before graduating last year. Now, it is Zachaeus’s turn for his personal and school lives to overlap.
“I like having my mom on campus a lot because I get to hang out in her classroom, and she brings food for me. My parents can also see the people I hang out with and judge if they’re a good or bad influence on me,” Zachaeus said.
While seeing her kids at school is comforting, it makes it harder to separate her roles as mother and teacher, according to Ms. Alorro.
“[Ethan] was in my class three times, making it kind of hard to separate mom and teacher sometimes. Still, it’s really heartwarming because I get to watch them grow up. It was cool to watch Ethan grow in his skill sets for Video Production and now I’m watching Zachaeus with all his basketball teammates,” Ms. Alorro said.
People often hold high expectations for Zachaeus because his dad, Bobby Alorro, is the frosh basketball coach. However, these expectations push Zachaeus to prove himself both on and off the court.
“As the coach’s son, there’s this pressure that you can’t mess around — you need to be disciplined, respectful always give maximum effort. [Zachaeus] always puts in that effort and tries to be the leader that I’m expecting him to be,” Coach Alorro said. “I know he does feel that pressure, but I think he’s handling it really well.”
Ms. Alorro and Coach Alorro’s connection on campus not only brought them closer together as a family, but also strengthened their relationships with students. The two share a unique bond through the influence they have on their students.
“[My husband and I] are part of a community, and we watch all of them grow up because my husband coaches all of Zachaeus’s teammates,” Ms. Alorro said. “It’s almost like second parenting with all of [our students], and it’s made us realize how close we are in the community with the families.” Ω
If you ever decide to grab a quick acai bowl from Juugos on a late Tuesday afternoon, don’t be surprised if you see junior Ellie Lopez and her mom, registrar Elizabeth Lopez, enjoying their acai bowls filled with extra Nutella while laughing about a funny story or discussing the latest episode of their favorite TV documentary show.
Both Ms. Lopez and Ellie find Walnut as a second home, with this being Ms. Lopez’s 25th year working at Walnut and Ellie being involved and building relationships both within girls’ soccer and Associated Student Body (ASB).
“It’s a unique experience to be a part of the same community,” Ms. Lopez said. “It feels incredibly comforting knowing Ellie is in such a supportive environment and that I get to see, firsthand, how she’s growing both academically and personally.”
When Ellie joined Walnut as a freshman, she faced challenges when it came to proving to others that her mother’s occupation had nothing to do with her achievements and decisions in school.
“In ASB, a lot of people didn’t know my mom worked here, so it was kind of funny when they found out. They were like, ‘Wait, that’s your mom?’” Ellie said. “People asked if that’s why I got into ASB, and that’s not true, but they don’t really believe me and ask if she controls my grades and classes.”
Despite these challenges, it doesn’t stop either of them from having a strong and loving dynamic they both treasure.
“[I have a really great connection] with my mom, and I can always go to her if I need anything, even though I don’t get the chance to see her all the time [during school],” Ellie said.
“We’re very close. There’s a mutual respect between us. We can talk about almost anything, laugh together often but also give each other space when needed. I truly cherish the bond we share,” Ms. Lopez said.
Some of the activities the duo enjoys doing together span from spontaneous shopping sprees, watching YouTube videos and docuseries and finding new places to eat. However, enjoying acai bowls every week has become a set tradition and the best way for the two of them to have time together despite their busy schedules.
“Our tradition started a few years ago at one of her sisters’ volleyball games. We all stopped for bowls as a treat, and it quickly became our thing,” Ms. Lopez said. “It’s something simple, but a meaningful way for us to sit, chat, laugh and just enjoy our time together. It’s now become our go-to, especially when we need a moment to slow down.” Ω
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