Eleven years ago, Derrick Eszlinger graduated from SCHS with the class of 2013. A Bruin at heart, he returned as a civics and economics teacher. Eszlinger credits his teaching career to the inspiring staff at Santa Clara.
“I had some teachers that were really impactful to me,” Eszlinger said. “Without that guidance from those teachers, I think I would have went a completely different route. I don’t think for a second I would have gone to college at all.”
Eszlinger has been teaching for four years. He started substituting after COVID and is now a full-time teacher. When he attended SCHS, Eszlinger enjoyed the environment surrounding him and his classmates.
“It was pretty unique because I felt like no matter what pocket you were in, everybody got along,” Eszlinger said. “We were really tight as a class. Juniors got along with seniors, and all throughout, that kind of four years were filled with a lot of good friendships and memories.”
Besides SCHS’s uniqueness and unity, Eszlinger enjoyed the various sports programs. He played varsity baseball and soccer in high school. When he moved on to Tabor College in Kansas, Eszlinger continued playing soccer as their starting goalkeeper. There, he earned a bachelors in history and a masters in education.
“I did four years there, and I loved every minute of it. It’s a huge position and even going to Kansas in general, it was a culture shock,” Eszlinger said.
Eszlinger enjoyed his time in Kansas as it was different compared to California.
“Me going to Kansas was because I wanted the polar opposite of what I was used to. So I went, and it was crazy,” Eszlinger said. “Four years of awesome sunsets, living by a lake.”
Now that Eszlinger is back in California, he hopes to prepare his senior students for life after high school.
“You guys (seniors)… in the next four or five months are walking into the real world. So ready or not, this is what it’s like,” Eszlinger said.
Other than educating his students for their post-high school lives, Eszlinger has many hobbies.
“I’m a really big soccer fan, so I watch at 4:30 in the morning. My team, I’m a Manchester United fan, so I watch them.” Eszlinger said. “I like to be outside, plain and simple. I golf. I like to be outside. Play soccer, even guitar.”
Eszlinger continues his first full year of teaching with certain hopes for the success of his students.
“I just hope that through teaching civics and through teaching econ, I get a handful more than one that understands why our government was set up the way it is, or how they can put themselves in a better position financially when they graduate,” Eszlinger said.