Once a Colt, always a Colt: The story of Patty Vlahakos as a former student at El Camino

By Catherine Tadina

Vlahakos as a student.

Counselor Patty Vlahakos had several family members attend El Camino before her arrival, giving her many opportunities to attend football games and dance shows. “I was always really excited about the level of school spirit that presented itself during these events,” Vlahakos says. “Students were always incredibly approachable and parents were always present at the events.”

According to Vlahakos, her most memorable moment in high school was her senior year homecoming, where she created a strong bond with her classmates. Participating in homecoming allowed her to create new friendships and made her feel as if she was a part of her graduating class. Her biggest regret was not participating in homecoming in the years prior. “After experiencing the excitement of homecoming in my senior year, I definitely regretted not participating earlier,” Vlahakos said.

All students at one point in their high school career were able to access other students outside of their typical “clique”. All of the students were open to socializing with many different types of students. “When I participated in our school musical productions, we had a very diverse group of students participate: there were athletes, dancers, cheerleaders, drama students, art students, et cetera. Were all involved in different aspects of the events,” Vlahakos said. There was definitely a sense of inclusion when such opportunities presented themselves.”

Vlahakos was born and raised in South San Francisco, and thus, she considers El Camino home. When she was given the opportunity to work at El Camino, she could not let the opportunity pass. She chose to work in education so that she could help reach out to all students and provide them with the support they need to reach their full potential. “What better way to give back to my community than to serve youth in such a rewarding way!” Vlahakos said.

Transitioning back to El Camino was easy for Vlahakos, as teachers, counselors, and staff members made her feel right at home. “It was refreshing to see that the school had maintained the positive vibe that I had recalled,” Vlahakos said. She had the honor of having some of the current teachers as her own – Social Studies teachers Richard Arias and Steve Simondi, English teacher Thomas Crockett, and Math teachers Megan Connery and Richard Finacom. “It has been a pleasure to work with them all,” Vlahakos said. “I know how powerful they all are in the classroom and it is always exciting to hear my students speak highly of them also.”

Vlahakos at present.

Students nowadays have more opportunities to enroll in rigorous courses than when Vlahakos was a student. The only decline she has seen is in the school’s elective department due to the budget cuts which have taken a toll on the school’s resources; when Vlahakos attended, they had classes such as accounting, metals, wood, home economics, and speech. Nevertheless, the presence and involvement of counselors has increased drastically, as well as the amount of Honors and AP classes, according to Vlahakos. Students now have numerous opportunities to seek out counseling resources, speak with college representatives, and attend “life after high school” presentations more regularly.

Vlahakos believes that over the years, El Camino has always maintained its spirit. “I think that our teachers, staff and students take pride in our school,” she said. To her, the most impressive thing about El Camino is how effective it is in maintaining a safe environment. “As a whole, we have been successful in allowing for our students to uphold their individuality,” Vlahakos said. El Camino has held strong in creating a second home for its students, teachers and staff.