MEETING MR. sanChez
I am Josiah Sanchez, AKA Mr. Chez, a fifth grade teacher at Pinnacle Peak Preparatory School. I teach all subjects including English Language Arts (Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Spelling), Science, Social Studies, and Math.
I was the fourth grade science rotation teacher before I moved to fifth grade, and science is still a passion of mine. I love the wonderful things about our world and often share new findings with my students. This is officially my fifth year of teaching, but began my teaching career at PPPS in spring of 2014 as a long-term substitute in fourth grade. |
I Never KNewAt the peak of my vocal training, I performed this piece, I Never Knew, for the Ren Anderton Memorial Concert in April 2016. It is from the musical Far From Heaven and was selected by my voice teacher of two years, Mr. Stephen Crawford.
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Singer - TenorSince I was in the 5th grade, I have enjoyed being a singer. I have sung in a number of different choirs and have even performed with legendary singers such as Andrea Bocelli and Marni Nixon. I am currently singing in my fourth year with the Phoenix Symphony Chorus; it has been an honor and a privilege to sing with such a high-caliber group while experiencing wonderful things and visiting remarkable places!
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Adventures in wanderlust
I truly believe that great teachers have three primary qualities: formal education, experience, and a multitude of out-of-the-box/out-of-their-comfort-zone moments.
BULGARIA / TURKEYPlovdiv (pictured), Sofia, Varna, Kazanluk, and Istanbul were the stops on my Bulgaria-Turkey choir tour in 2014.
While performing American folk songs, Brahms' Requiem, and the world-premiere of Rose Tear by Georgi Andreev, I got to see a beautifully different culture. I realized just how little I knew about the world, thanks to this trip! I tried all kinds of different foods (rose-flavored Turkish delight, fresh baklava, Turkish tea, etc.), swam in the Black Sea, loved the weather and greenery, and heard a traditional Call to Prayer from the famous Blue Mosque (a gorgeously constructed Islamic place of worship!) It truly was the experience of a lifetime! WASHINGTON D.C.I was called on to chaperone another trip with the SMHS choirs in 2017; this time it was on to Washington D.C.
This trip was quite a whirlwind but there were a number of highlights. We visited the Washington, Lincoln, Korean War, Vietnam War, Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., FDR, World War II, and Iwo Jima Memorials. Then, we experienced Arlington National Cemetery in freezing rain and watched the procession of a high ranking officer. I learned more about our country by visiting the Capitol building, Holocaust, National Portrait, and Smithsonian Air and Space Museums, Mount Vernon, Ford Theater (we watched a beautifully acted musical, Ragtime), and Petersen House. We even got delayed on our way back because of a huge storm! It was definitely a memorable trip! HAWAI'I- MAUIThis may have been my shortest trip to Hawai'i, but it was easily the most fun! There were delightful things that happened on this trip.
1) I attended my 6th lu'au complete with slow roasted pig, purple sweet potatoes, and fresh poke. ("Yum" doesn't even begin to describe it!) 2) I was so fortunate to attend my good friends' outdoor wedding followed by a delightful reception full of food, laughter, and all around good times. 3) I wrapped up the trip with a pool and beach day where I saw a beached sea turtle (give her space!) and tanned by the pool. I look back on this trip as the true definition of what a vacation should be : sun, sand, friends, and good times! |
IRELANDIreland was the next adventure in the spring of 2015. I fell in love with the overcast weather and greenery everywhere I looked, and it wasn't hard to love the kind and helpful Irish people too. Plus, they made a great pot of tea!
Always a scientist, I learned a great deal about falconry and predatory birds on the Adare Manor estate. Shortly before that, I had learned about the elegance and extravagance that is High Tea. What a lovely way to drink in the afternoon! My family and I also visited the Cliffs of Mohrer, Blarney Castle (pictured), and the Jameson Factory (not my cup of tea, personally). I loved this trip, but I couldn't wait for my next one! AUSTRIA
Greetings from a delightful cafe in Vienna, Austria!
This 2017 trip with the Phoenix Symphony Chorus left me speechless! Austria is truly a wondrous place full of Wienerschnitzel, Mozart and Beethoven history, and the secrets to the real Von Trapp family. I got the opportunity to sing in awe-inspiring cathedrals, visit the royal zoo and palace, challenge my musicianship with Mozart's Requiem, Poulenc's Gloria, and some beautiful choral works, and watch a very talented pianist perform some of my favorite works by Debussy. I even bought some authentic lederhosen to wear! Some important firsts for me: -Austrian iced chocolate - Wienerschnitzel -Mozartkugel -Vienna Concert Hall -Salzburg Fortress -Salzburg's First Bakery -House of Sound Museum POrtlandMy trip to Portland was the first true vacation I have taken since I started teaching. I spent 8 days doing whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I read 5 books, sleep in late, ate too much, and just had a jolly time! It gave me so much clarity on things AND I got to see some great places in Portland. I can't wait to visit again!
-Oregon Zoo (Zoolights) -Voodoo Doughnuts -Portland Art Museum -Multnomah Falls -Powell's Bookstore (It's a whole city block square!) -McMeniman's Edgefield -McMeniman's The Baghdad -McMeniman's Kennedy School -The Grotto -Mother's Bistro |
HAWAI'I - O'AHUIn 2016, my friend Krystle and I got to chaperone a choir tour to Hawai'i with 35 juniors and seniors from Shadow Mountain High School. Though I had gone on a similar tour when I was a junior at SMHS, it was exciting to see it from the adult side of the aisle. Some students would never have had this opportunity if it had not been a school trip.
We got to hike Diamond Head, tour Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona, and the USS Missouri, attend a luau, visit the University of Hawai'i, go night swimming, explore the hidden island, and much more! Who knew that I would be planning to go back in 2017 (after a trip to Vienna, Austria, of course!) HAWAI'I - HAWAI'I
(THE BIG ISLAND) No matter what, I was going to experience sky diving on this trip, and I got my wish!
In 2017, my family and I traveled back to where it all began for this traveler and it was one action-packed trip! Memorable moments included: -Big Gravity Skydiving -Visiting Waimea -Kilauea (volcano) -Hamakua Macademia Nut Co. -Kona Coffee Plantation -UFO Parasailing Tours (THANKS KIM!) -Black sand beaches -Lu'au -The Painted Church -Punalu'u Bake Shop I realized the importance of a vacation on this trip. As I listened to Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, drank tea, and read my book, I saw how truly perfect Hawai'i is, and how much I love taking it slow. This was the rest I needed to start a wonderful school year! London, EnglandMy trip to London had a little bit of this and a little bit of that! And, though they speak English, I still found the British to be quite foreign. From referring to the check as a "bill", offering to "let" a room rather than lease it, and saying "cheers" instead of thank you, I was taken by how they speak. What a delightful accent! I wasn't able to see everything I wanted to, so I will be sure to go back!
-Buckingham Palace -Tower of London -Tower Bridge -The Globe Theater (outside) -Hampton Court Palace -St. Paul's Cathedral -Westminster Abbey -The London Eye -Big Ben (covered in scaffolding) -Parliament Building -Harry Potter Studios (butterbeer is delicious!) -The Royal Mews -#10 Downing Street (as close as we could get) -Piccadilly Square |