Alumnus transitions into teaching role

“You look really tired, but why are you still smiling?”

This was a question posed to Jonathan Pwu, the new music teacher, over dinner by one of his friends. His only reply was, “It is just easier to smile,” illustrating a defining feature of Pwu’s personality: his cheerfulness.

“It’s actually really hard for me to form the frowning muscles,” Pwu said.

His exuberance has contributed to the respect that both his students and peers show him.

“Mr. Boitz always tells a story about Mr. Pwu of how as a freshman, he had surgery and all the people from the band came to see him,” junior Robert Eng, a clarinet player, said.

Pwu is an alumnus from the class of 2007, who returned shortly after graduating from UC Davis to take up his new post on campus.

Aside from his joviality, some other notable aspects of his personality he believes will serve him well as a teacher are his optimism and open-mindedness, which can be seen in his view on different genres of music.

“[I think] there [isn’t] any good or bad music, just different music for different occasions, I think that applies to many things in life.” Pwu said. “There isn’t one specific best way to do something or one best idea, but just different ideas for different times.”

Pwu notes that one of the most dramatic changes at since he graduated is the physical appearance of the school.

“The campus is definitely much prettier than when I was here,” Pwu said. “We didn’t have as many colors, or grass.”

Band members already have positive impressions of Pwu.

“I think he is highly respected among everyone in the band,” Eng said. “I like him more than an agglomeration of chocolate cupcakes.”

Pwu’s interest in teaching first took form during his sophomore year at SHS, when he attended a summer camp called The Bands of America Summer Symposium.

“It was what really made me want to pursue a career in music and in music education,” Pwu said. 

The lessons he learned at the camp continue to resound with Pwu and his influence his outlook on life, connecting music to everything he does.

“[They] taught how music can apply to the work ethic, teamwork and all the time management skills you develop through the music program,” said Pwu. ”It is all applicable through someone’s everyday life, even if they aren’t in an orchestra or band anymore.”

The program made such an indelible mark on his life that he attended the summer camp as an adult this summer.

“I went to the directors’ portion this year because I had such a good experience with it in high school,” Pwu said. “It [had been] life-changing when I was in high school.”

In high school Pwu played clarinet as part of the marching band, and classified himself as a “band geek.” His weekday hangouts consisted of long, winding drives with friends and delving into the world of music. He was also a drum major. 

During college Pwu continued to pursue his passion for marching band and music by participating in the Blue Devils Drum Corps. 

“It is like marching band on steroids,” Pwu said. “Essentially, it is professional marching band and you travel around for a whole summer performing for a whole bunch of audiences.”

One of his most memorable experiences with the Blue Devils occurred when he went to play at the Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis during the Marching Music’s Major League finals. 

“Playing in an indoor stadium was amazing,” Pwu said. “It was just really cool playing on a professional football and [seeing] the sheer amount of people.” 

He was especially struck by the sheer size of the stadium when he entered.

“Some buildings you look from the outside and it is really big and you go inside and its like ‘Oh, its not that big,’ at Lucas Oil Field you are looking from the outside and you go inside and you are like ‘Boom, its still a really big building,’” Pwu said.

Pwu has had a rapid and smooth transition from being a student in college to joining the workforce and becoming a teacher at his former high school, but he still finds it a unique experience to be working alongside his former teachers.

“Calling [the teachers] by their first names is definitely the strangest part,” Pwu said. “Some of them I still can’t bring myself to call them by the first name. So when I see them I still say ‘Hey! Mrs. A!’ instead of saying ‘Kim.’”

Pwu is extremely grateful that he was able to transition into a job with music so quickly after graduation.

“It has always been my dream to come back [to SHS] and teach,” said Pwu “I just didn’t realize I’d be here so soon and so quick.”