Halstrom Academy Instructor Turns Hard Life Lessons into Successful Teaching Tools

SAN DIEGO - May 1, 2018 - PRLog -- On April 22, Halstrom Academy instructor Hunter Bliss placed fourth out of more than 7,000 runners in the Nike Go LA 10K race in Los Angeles. In his seventh year as a social sciences teacher at Halstrom Academy's San Diego campus, Bliss' passion for running led to a fall back during his high school years but brought him back to becoming a passionate and skilled middle and high school instructor.

"While I was a superstar runner by ninth grade, I unfortunately didn't have one of "those" teachers or coaches in my middle or high school years – the teacher that inspires you, encourages you, and mentors you when you are on the verge of making a bad choice, said Bliss." Bliss is grateful today to be one of those teachers for many students at Halstrom Academy.

"Sometimes educators can do things that parents can't for their children, particularly their teenagers," said Bliss. "There are times when students won't listen to their parents. When a student says he's going to make a certain choice, a teacher can often ask them to ponder on that choice, and gently suggest that maybe there is a better option."

"From my first experience teaching at Halstrom, I recognized the school offered what many kids need. Especially kids like me, who felt ignored and left out by teachers and others at school," said Bliss.

"I've had the pleasure of working with Hunter for the last five years," said Lynna Martinez, Senior Vice President, Educational Programs and Services. "Hunter has a powerful way of reaching young people and he's had a profound impact on the success and personal development of many of our students."

By reconnecting with this personal passion, Bliss is now one of the fasted runners in the country in his category, and says he is a much happier and centered individual and passionate teacher and mentor.

About Halstrom Academy

Since 1985, Halstrom Academy has helped more than 19,000 students in grades 6-12 achieve educational success. Halstrom Academy offers an alternative to the traditional classroom with high-quality personalized one-to-one education in a small, nurturing campus environment. At Halstrom, students develop healthy relationships as they build confidence, skills and tools for success in post-secondary life. Flexible schedules replace long school days, and students can complete homework at school to keep evenings free. Halstrom is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and offers over 140 courses including many Honors and Advanced Placement (AP). An in-depth college and career planning program prepares students for life beyond high school and has helped many students go on to prestigious universities such as Stanford, UCLA, USC, and NYU. Students may enroll anytime, and courses are offered year-round at 15 campuses throughout California. For more information visit halstromacademy.org (http://www.halstromacademy.org).