Teacher of the Year: John Hansen
Years of SERVICE to GVHS: Mr. Hansen has been teaching social studies at GVHS since 2007. Additionally, he has also assumed the following roles as a Bulldog: Boys Tennis Coach (8 years) We The People Coach/Adviser (14 years) Bible Club Adviser (6 years) Tier I Team Member (7 years)
High School and College Attended: Centennial High School (Graduate of 1999), Bakersfield College, University of California, Davis - BA in History and Political Science, California State University, Bakersfield - Teaching Credential
GPS Focus: SERVICE
What Makes Mr. Hansen #BulldogSTRONG: One of the overlooked, albeit essential behavior expectations of being #BulldogSTRONG at Golden Valley High School is demonstrating SERVICE in the community by being a good citizen. There are many ways in which one can be a good citizen, however in its most simple form, a good citizen is a person who understands and fulfills their rights and duties within their society. One of the many benefits of being a good citizen is promoting a sense of belonging and when the job is done well, it creates a sense of community. For GVHS Teacher of the Year John Hansen, shaping and molding students to become productive citizens has been his life’s purpose and mission. Perhaps Hansen’s passion to create good citizens can be dated back to his days as a teenager in the halls of Centennial High School. As a Golden Hawk, Hansen was an active student as a tennis player and as a member of the speech and debate team, but it was during his Senior year in which the flames of being a good citizen were stoked. In a difficult decision, Hansen decided to forgo his Senior season on the tennis team so that he could focus his energies on speech and debate as well We The People, an academic competition centered on the constitution and citizenship, where he studied Unit 6 which analyzes the challenges that American Constitutional Democracy might face in the 21st Century. Coached by Craig Austin for speech and debate and by David Richmond for We the People, Hansen learned the essential elements of being a good citizen. “Both of my coaches exemplified the importance of productive citizenship,” comments Hansen, “They were good men and overall, nice human beings that positively influenced and shaped the direction of my career.”
After graduating from Centennial in 1999, Hansen attended Bakersfield College for two years, before transferring north to the University of California, Davis where he would major in both history and political science. Initially, Hansen had aspirations of attending law school, but remembered the lessons that he learned from high school and decided that he wanted to be a teacher that influenced his students to become productive citizens. After student teaching at his alma mater, Hansen was hired as a social studies teacher at GVHS in 2007, a position in which he still SERVES in today. “Teaching at GVHS has been the best,” humbly states Hansen, “I have always been impressed with the warmth, open, and honest character of my students.” Over the years, Hansen has taught World History, US History, Government, and Economics while also coaching tennis, advising the Bible Club, and providing an essential voice for school climate and culture as a member of the #BulldogSTRONG Tier I Team. However, Hansen’s mission for creating productive citizens has been best demonstrated from his position as the We The People coach/adviser for the past 14 years. Hansen’s passions have elevated the GVHS We The People program to the upper echelon as his teams have consistently finished in the Top 2 schools in the 21st Congressional District. “We the People is the perfect platform to help build a productive citizenry,” states Hansen passionately, “It promotes active engagement, explores civil rights, and analyzes contemporary issues and modern law in meaningful ways so that students can positively lead our country in the future.” In addition to his involvement with We the People, Hansen has been essential in overseeing Project Citizen at GVHS, a program in which students identify problems in their community then identify solutions to fix the issues that require government involvement. For Hansen, he is driven by the words of JFK in that we should be constantly asking what we can do for our country to make it better. “At GVHS, it has been my hope that students are continually figuring out ways to better the community around them.” For his passion in building and developing actively engaged citizens from his position as a Social Studies Teacher and We The People coach, John Hansen is the GVHS Teacher of the Year and #BulldogSTRONG.
What #BulldogSTRONG Means to Mr. Hansen: "To me #BulldogSTRONG is about citizenship building. As a teacher, I try to use #BulldogSTRONG as a framework to help build students to be productive and positive influences of others. I often challenge my students to reflect and ask themselves what they can do to make their community better. The SERVICE component of #BulldogSTRONG is most important to me.”
What Students Think of Mr. Hansen:
“Mr. Hansen is very funny, smart, easy to talk to and overall a very awesome person. I can walk into the class and he's always in a good mood and it really helps lift our spirits. He always cracks a joke here and there but he's always willing to help whenever we need it. He likes to push us to become better students and it's always appreciated to have someone care about our well being.” Anely Arredondo, Senior Band Leader and Tier I Team Member, Golden Valley High School
“Being a teacher like Mr. Hansen is a gift not all teachers have. He is much more than a person who teaches the subjects of a curriculum, but a wise model of the intelligence one should strive to obtain in life. Providing me with more than a part of my education, but with advice, good laughs, and open arms at all times. He is an example of the type of teacher that you remember throughout the rest of your life; GVHS loves you Mr. Hansen.” Verenice Olaves, Senior ASB Student Leader and THRIVE Leader, Golden Valley High School
“Mr. Hansen is a great teacher and an all-around great person. With what seems like endless knowledge, he's always willing to answer your questions and if he doesn't have the answer he will figure it out and get back to you as soon as possible. I admire him for all he does for his students and being in his class has helped me grow a lot as a student and as a person. I'm very grateful for him.” Conroy Hayes, Senior Football Player, Tier I Team Member, and Project Lead the Way Student, Golden Valley High School
“What makes Mr. Hansen #BULLDOGSTRONG is the service he provides to his students. He makes sure the needs of every single of his students are satisfied. I really enjoy my conversations with him, and he never fails to put a smile on his students’ faces. I’m proud to have him as my teacher, and is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had at Golden Valley.” Simranjeet Kaur, Senior Project Lead the Way Student, Golden Valley High School
“Mr. Hansen is not only an incredible teacher that many students love, but he is also a mentor that many people around campus look to for advice. Whether it is about school or life in general, Mr. Hansen is always there to lend a helping hand to all GV students. Although I have only known Mr. Hansen for my senior year, his authentic nature has left me with everlasting memories and advice that I will imply in life for years to come.” Juliana Pizano, Senior Soccer Player, We The People and Project Lead the Way Student, Golden Valley High School
“I got the opportunity to have Mr. Hansen as both my teacher and my coach. Being in We the People showed how much GPS Mr. Hansen brings to our campus. Before joining WTP, I was iffy due to my lack of public speaking skills, but Hansen pushed me as much as he could to develop those skills. Because of him I now have more of a projecting and confident voice while presenting. Mr. Hansen has been such a great teacher and has such a fun learning environment. Going to Hansen's class is definitely one of my favorite parts of my school day. Congrats, I’m proud of you!” Gisel Salcedo, Senior Class President, Varsity Cheerleader, and President of We the People, Golden Valley High School