Jaime Garcia is a history teacher who is on his way to becoming an amateur professional musician.
Garcia majored in history but was unsure what kind of career to pursue with his degree. His nephews were in middle and high school at the time, and enjoyed Garcia’s passion for history.
With the help of his cousin, an elementary school teacher, Garcia learned about what it takes to become a teacher, and soon became a teacher.
Garcia said, “I jumped into [teaching] and miraculously made it through teacher school. It went by so fast and bam, I’m a certified California teacher.”
The enthusiasm that put him on the track of becoming a teacher hasn’t waned.
Garcia said, “I’ve always been motivated to get others to like what I like by overselling it and being boisterous. I’m excited to get people excited.”
Garcia’s passion for history and life sometimes rubs off on his students. Sophomore Teagan Boram said, “His enthusiasm is good, because when you don’t feel like learning something, it helps to have someone who is really into it.”
It seems Garcia’s enthusiasm isn’t just for teaching history. Although pushed aside at an early age due to lack of stability as a career, Garcia’s love of music hasn’t dwindled. In fact, it has recently exploded.
Since Garcia now has a stable career, he is free to experiment with his love of music.
Garcia, along with fellow teachers David Gomez, Ashley Gray, Cary Milia, and Jerome Harris, formed a band. Garcia plays bass guitar, Gomez is on drums, Milia and Gray play guitar, and Harris is the lead singer.
Sophomore Luke Mohler said, “I play music and sing, so I’d die to be in a band. From my perspective, it’s really interesting that he’s in a band.”
In 2005, Carlmont hosted “live nights” in the student union where students and teachers could perform as a band. At the time, Garcia’s band was rated far below basic. Now they play paid gigs.
Garcia said, “I started fiddling with music when I was 17 but put it away for a long time in my late 20s, and these guys revived it for me. They have given me a new focus and purpose.”
Garcia’s band plays blues, blues rock, and covers. They are currently trying to decide whether they want to play all covers or try going original. They will be playing in the Carlmont quad on May 22.
