Student who hated school will become a teacher
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

STEPHANIE BERTHOLDO/Acorn Newspapers BRIGHT FUTURE- Indian Hills graduate Brandon Magana celebrates with his family on graduation day. From left, Magana's aunt Lysa Darden, father Carlos Magana, baby sister Sage, Elisha Magana, Brandon and cousins Ariella Darden and Jessie Castle.

When Brandon Magana came to Indian Hills High School in Calabasas, he was deficient in class credits and at risk of dropping out of high school altogether. When he graduated last week, it was with a new-found drive and sense of accomplishment.

He had experienced a 180degree shift in his attitude toward school. Indian Hills' personalized attention from teachers, small class sizes and atmosphere of trust and support inspired Brandon to make school a lifelong pursuit. He plans to attend Moorpark College, transferring to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to earn a degree in history and a teaching credential.

"I want to try to teach (history) at Indian Hills," Brandon said. "Indian Hills inspired me to be a history teacher. I want to focus on students and pay more attention to the class."

The teachers and administrators at the school believe in Brandon's abilities. He was awarded a future teacher scholarship for $1,500, along with a $75 creative writing grant.

Although Brandon has set his sights on history, he said his favorite instructor at Indian Hills was math and science teacher Mark Goldstein, affectionately known as "G" by students.

Brandon said his academic turnaround resulted from the unique environment at Indian Hills.

"The teachers were a lot closer to the students," he said, and class sizes were considerably smaller, with some courses attended by only four or five students. The average number of students in a class was between eight and 12.

Brandon said he was turned on to history at the school, but may also pursue creative writing. "I might just do it for fun," he said.