If you’ve ever had Diego Castellanos as a teacher or coach, you know how kind students always say he is.
Castellanos shared how his passion for science began and what keeps him motivated to teach every day.
He said he chose to teach biology because it was the subject he enjoyed most in high school.
“I really enjoyed sciences in general,” he said, explaining that biology always stood out to him. If he weren’t a teacher, he thinks he might still be doing something related to nature or biology. “Maybe something to do with the prairies,” he said. “I really enjoy those types of ecosystems.”
Castellanos said one of his former teachers inspired him to explore education.
“Mr. Austin, a teacher here at South, helped me a lot,” he said. That experience showed him how much of an impact a teacher can have.
He said he hopes his students remember him in a positive way after they graduate, and that “science isn’t just in the classroom; it’s all around us.”
Castellanos believes responsibility is one of the most important skills students can learn in high school.
“I just think a sense of responsibility and them knowing they have to do stuff for themselves and their family is important,” he said. He explained that building that mindset helped lead him to the success he has today.
A typical day for Castellanos starts early. “I wake up around 5:30 or 6 a.m., get a good breakfast in, get to school and print off last-minute things,” he said. Then he spends the day teaching biology, anatomy and physiology. After school, he usually coaches cross-country or soccer.
If he could give his high school self any advice, it would be to get more involved.
“I would’ve done an actual sport and joined more clubs,” he said. He mentioned how many of his friends were in NHS or Wildlife Club and how he wishes he had taken advantage of those opportunities.
As for advice he gives his students now, it’s simple but powerful.
“Always try your best,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re going to do in life, and if you stop trying, you’re closing all those opportunities you could’ve had.”
