After longtime Spanish teacher Ms. Reed moved last year, many of us wondered who would fill her place in the language department. Enter Profé Amanda Duncan, a new, exciting addition to the Charger language arts team. And so far, Mrs. Duncan’s first five weeks have been full of eager students and new experiences.

Mrs. Duncan may be new to Clark, but she’s certainly not new to Las Vegas. She attended Northwest Career and Technical Academy before staying close to home for college. She started with two bachelor’s degrees at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas – one in Spanish, and another in Secondary Education. She also received a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, with an emphasis in Multicultural Education. When deciding where to teach, she chose Clark over her alma mater.

“I student-taught here and shadowed for two semesters,” says Duncan. “I love it here!” She has been learning and speaking Spanish since her early childhood, growing up in San Diego. Her enthusiasm for the language has rubbed off on her students.

“She’s an awesome Spanish teacher,” says Kaylee Hoo, a freshman in her Spanish I Honors class. “I’m super excited for this year in her class.”

“She incorporates the entire class very well and allows us to interact with our classmates,” says Avery Fernandez. “As a student in her Spanish 1 H class, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from her and really enjoy how she teaches the Spanish language.”

“She’s a really cool teacher that always manages to make us laugh,” says Ariana Revis, a student in Ms. Duncan’s Spanish II H class.

Her students aren’t the only ones excited for the rest of the year; Mrs. Duncan can’t wait to learn about her students and help them communicate in Spanish. She also noted that she’d be happy to help out in clubs, activities, and sports.

“[My favorite part of teaching] is when the students make their own connections and become creative with the language. I also look forward to helping to build a community environment in the classroom and the school.”