Former Deer Park HS students return to class as teachers
DEER PARK, Texas (KTRK) -- Three Deer Park High School teachers admit the transition back to class was a little tough. Despite many new faces and a renovated school, the campus still feels like home.
"Some familiar faces that come up to you to give you hugs, even back to my third grade math teacher," said Austin Flynn, a former Deer Park student who is now the head football coach.
Flynn is not the only alum to come back to Deer Park. The current head softball coach, Errica Cantu, and the head basketball coach all roamed the halls of the school in their formative years.
"I think it makes us all relatable," said Ryan Bright, head coach of the boy's basketball team. "To be able to talk to the kids and say, 'Hey, I sat where you're sitting, I played where you're playing.'"
This new generation of teachers has been welcomed with open arms, particularly by those who share a unique connection to the group.
"The young teachers, they call me 'Mr. May,'" said Shane May, a math and physics teacher. "I taught them and it makes me feel old."
Cantu, Bright and Flynn each work alongside several educators who taught them during high school, and admit coming back to their former school was never in the game plan, but also say they're glad it happened.
"I mean, they have a lot of pride in this school and this community, and they grew up here and they do know all the ins and outs, and they played here," said Kirk Taylor, the assistant principal. "We see a lot of energy, a lot of passion and a lot of pride."
