Raider alumni Zachary Neu is a third-year teacher here, teaching chemistry. After graduating from East he attended Texas Tech University where he earned his Bachelors Degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.

What year did you graduate from WEHS? 

I graduated in 2012, the Alpha Raiders.

What were you like as a student?

I was not the perfect student by any means. Homework was not something I did often, but in class, I sat in the front trying to learn as much as I could. Guess I was a bit of a nerd. I loved helping out classmates when they needed it. I tried to be respectful to all teachers, though I had my moments.

Is there any specific teacher who impacted you?

Ms. Taylor and Mr. Hattaway had the biggest impacts on me. They showed me what I could really achieve in life and helped me through some tough situations in high school.

What did you do in high school that helped prepare you for becoming a teacher?

Besides helping classmates with their work, I did not think about being a teacher while in high school. I didn’t realize my passion until much later.

Why did you decide to become a teacher at WEHS?

When I decided that teaching was going to be my career I couldn’t think of anywhere I wanted to be besides East. Wylie East is more than a job, it’s a family.

What do you enjoy about being a teacher? 

I get to have an impact on students’  lives each and every day. I tell my students they may not remember anything about chemistry when the year is over but I want them to take something positive away from my class that truly helps them in life.

If you had to go through high school all over again what would you do differently?

I would take my grades more seriously. It’s not that I did poorly in high school, just looking back, I know I could have done so much more. Also joining more clubs, I played varsity soccer but that was all I was involved with.

Raiders Returning part 2

Raiders Returning part 3