from ...BEST High Staff Biography

Name: Marsha Rhynes

Courses Currently Teaching: AP English 4, AP English 3, English  P, CAHSEE Prep, BEST Scholarship Coordinator

Courses Taught in the Past: All grade levels, English; Life Skills; CAHSEE; AVID, Drama

Hometown: Oakland; grew up in El Cerrito, CA.

Undergraduate school attended: U.C. Berkeley

Major: English

Graduate school attended: Saint Mary’s College, Moraga; Masters Educational Administration

Favorite Book(s) and Authors: I suspect the book that truly will most profoundly touch my heart has yet to be written! I love everything Langston Hughes ever wrote; Shakespeare’s tragedies, especially Macbeth; Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun; Ernest Hemingway; Fences by August Wilson; Amy Tan; Edgar Allen Poe; Alice Walker; Richard Wright’s Black Boy and Native Son; current addition of The Writer’s Market.

Interests: Freelance writing/ writing for publication, real estate, helping students finance their way through college with scholarships and grants; empowering students through Service learning, creative writing contests for student writers, sitting on my deck when I find time.

Random bragging points: Bay Area Writing Project Fellow, 1996; former U.C. Berkeley Admission Reader; honored member Manchester’s Who’s Who of Executives and Professionals; Prudential Teaching Excellence Award; Distinguished for Excellence in Education by U.C. Incentive Award Program and recognized for Outstanding Service and Support to students in the University of College Opportunity Program; Recognition for Service Learning Leadership; Rotary Extra Miles for Education Award.

Hopes for this school year:

      Students engaged in learning with high academic standards for personal  achievement

      Students prepared to face any challenge, any test, any obstacle  

      Student who know they will receive support and assistance from BEST teachers and  Staff

       100 percent of graduating  BEST senior class accepted to colleges of their choice with scholarship money!