Maybe she shook a little. Having never attended a school in the United States she undoubtedly felt nervous. But, Annette Sarkissian did not come to sit with other students; she came to teach high school.
This scene played out between 2000 and 2003, when Sarkissian and her husband of three years, Sam Sarkissian, lived in Glendale, California. Her husband pastored a church there while she taught at Pasedena High School. Later, the couple felt God leading them to Fresno. Sam currently works for Mountain View Community Church in Clovis.
Years before Glendale and Fresno, while still single, Sarkissian went to teach English in Korea.
“I prayed about it and decided that it would be an adventure,” Sarkissian said. “I didn’t know what I was doing the first few months.”
Sarkissian calls many places home, Korea being one of them. The Santa Cruz native still considers herself half Spanish, having grown up in Madrid, Spain.
This year, needing to fill the teaching position on campus, Sarkissian stood out for the job from the list of about 25-30 applicants.
“She brings enthusiasm and will add another female to the staff,” Principal Gary Schultz said. “She might also help the young ladies; she will bring a different perspective. I chose her because of her good background.”
Sarkissian attended Tabor college in Hillsboro, Kansas and earned a biology and bible degree. Sarkissian also went to Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary in Fresno and acquired a Master’s of Divinity degree. With her degrees from Tabor, Sarkissian decided to teach science.
“I love science and like getting students involved.” And, she jokes, “because I have a biology degree from college.”
The fact that 29-year-old Sarkissian gets to experience the freedom to talk about Jesus on campus excites her.
“It’s a great environment and a great change from Pasedena where I was stifled. Students haved asked me about Jesus when I taught at public school. Those were the most valuable experiences,” Sarkissian said. “I want to get some students excited about science.”
For more on Annette Sarkissian and her science and math classes, go to www.fresnochristian.com and click on classes.
