Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Gannon

The esteemed history teacher, John Gannon, is being highlighted this month for his outstanding influence on the students in our community. This is Gannon’s twenty-ninth year teaching, and in his years here at Santa Barbara High School (SBHS) he has made a monumental difference in the lives of countless people, whether they are fellow teachers or his students. Throughout his career in education, Gannon spent several years teaching classes in Irvine, then math at SBHS, coaching various sports, teaching honors US History, and, where he is now, teaching AP US History. 

He has always had an unmistakable passion for the subject of history, and when asked why he loves his job, he explains that it allows him to share that passion by “helping students just learn, you know, and learning more about their country.” He continued on to emphasize the significance of studying history and how truly relevant it is, “Our history, this is what made us, and there’s parallels that we can draw between things that have happened in the past and what is currently happening now. And what we see happening now, we might think, ‘Oh, this is the biggest thing that’s ever happened,’ But then you learn, ‘Well, there was other things that happened in the past that had bigger significance, or that were equally divisive.’”

Of all the events in history that Gannon gets to cover, there is one period that he enjoys teaching above the rest: The Progressive Era. The Progressive Era took place in the early 1900s, when members of the Republican and Democratic parties both embraced progressive reforms. He describes the cultural significance of the period, mentioning the crucial amendments and legislation that resulted from that time. Gannon expresses his personal admiration for the era by stating the mentality that the Progressives had at the time, “‘We can make this place better; We can improve society’… That can-do attitude amongst the progressives is a super positive– is a very positive thing.” Specifically, during the Progressive Era, the ratification of the nineteenth Amendment (women gaining the right to vote) occurred. He illuminates the underlying message of the long fight for this right: “That’s, I think, a really good thing that women struggled from 1848 all the way to 1920 to get that national amendment. For 72 years, there was a struggle for women’s voting rights, but they succeeded; and that sometimes the arc of history is long, but it aims towards justice, or doing the right thing.”

Aside from teaching academic classes, Gannon has also coached several sports at SBHS including basketball, volleyball, and water polo. Gannon’s most notable coaching experience was his eleven-year run as the head coach for varsity girls volleyball. He expressed his deep gratitude for these years spent coaching, and his enjoyment of his leadership showed. In his time as their coach, Gannon led their team to victory in league a couple of times, including CIF finalists once, and CIF winners once. While Gannon has since hung up the whistle, he still demonstrates his love for sports and involvement in the school by announcing various teams’ games, consisting mostly of flag football, volleyball, and basketball. Even though he had an exceptional run as a coach, he acknowledged the benefits of only having to provide commentary, “That’s fun, because I just get to kind of come in, announce, and then leave, and I don’t have to worry about any, like, fundraising or there’s no tears or, like, ‘I didn’t get playing time’ or, you know, like, ‘why didn’t you play me?”… I just walk away!” Gannon not only creates safe environments for athletes and students, but he also builds these bonds that last a lifetime. He mentions that recently he ran into one of his old volleyball players, and how even after 15 years post-graduation they were still able to connect when running into each other. 

The impact he has on his current students is evident in how his students speak about him and his class. Lucy Kronberg, SBHS junior and current student of Gannon, comments on the environment in his classroom, “He creates a very social and progressive learning environment for us students. I think he treats us as friends, rather than students, in a lot of the dad jokes he attempts to make, and a lot of the connections with students he’s always trying to put out there. I mean he lets us go for a walk during long period days, which I really appreciate, and I know other students do; and always during this walk he attempts to start up a conversation with different students, and I think that shows the work of a really good teacher.” She states that his style of teaching helps her learn because, “I struggle to learn in a very stressful environment, and having an easygoing walk or having some lighthearted joke to take the tension off learning in the 90-minute block days and periods, it really helps me relax and kind of absorb the information better.” Aside from Kronberg, Sofia Turenchalk and Harper Tolmei share their thoughts on Mr. Gannon as a teacher. Turenchalk has Gannon currently and comments on his friendly and welcoming personality. Even Harper Tolmei, SBHS junior, who’s never had Gannon as a teacher before, has positive things to say about him. When questioned about her first impression of him, she responds, “I thought he was so cool. He just has this aura about him… I really like him, he’s a great teacher, a great guy.” It is evident that Gannon has reached all corners of the school with his outgoing and cordial nature, and deserves to be recognized for all that he does for those around him. His nonstop efforts to always help and be a bigger part of the community have made his influence in students’ lives irreplaceable; he truly embodies what it means to be a good teacher.