Teacher Ellie Tyner works to cultivate the youth of Paso Robles

[dropcap size=small]F[/dropcap]irst-year teacher Ellie Tyner has made more of an impact on Paso Robles than immediately meets the eye. Tyner is a more than a double agent, debuting in her first year as  a sophomore English teacher, Young Life leader, surfing instructor, and swim coach, making her a quadruple threat. Through early mornings coaching swim, late nights being a Young Life leader, and daily commutes to her Morro Bay home Tyner has proven in five months she holds a passion of teaching.

It shows through her students’ and coworkers appreciation for her as she is one of the most involved teachers at PRHS.

  Growing up in Ventura, Tyner actively rejected the idea of her becoming an English teacher. Her father was an English teacher as well and would often tell her she faced the same fate. She backed her bags and fled to Cal Poly and completed a degree in Graphic Communication, which she ultimately decided was not for her. And in her third year of college, she enrolled in Cal Poly’s Teaching Credential program, succumbing to her father’s prediction. She denies that she settled for a teaching career. “I have always loved English… honestly, I don’t think I ever considered any other subject.” said Tyner. 

Swimming and surfing has always been a part of Tyner’s life. She started at age seven and continued until age 18, during that time setting the school record for a year the 200 medley relay and going to CIF once for the same race.   

She started surfing from a very young age.

“I’ve always loved being in the water, but the big waves used to terrify me!” Tyner said.

Eventually she got over her fear to become a surf instructor as a part-time job over the summer at Sandbar Surf Company down at Pismo Beach four summers ago.

She hadn’t always been able to swim the way she does today. In fact, her first swim meet was a bit of a rocky road. During one of her first swim meets, she got her foot stuck in the gutter while attempting a flip turn. This just goes to show that although you may not get it right the first time, try try again; this is one of the philosophies she preaches.

Tyner said that she is all about being there for her “girls” at YL: “I felt very privileged to be the person that got to listen to my girls through high school. We all need someone who shows up for us,” she said.

Through Young Life, Tyner is a leader and helps kids by giving them someone to talk to and laugh with. By doing this, she builds trust and friendships while still providing them with someone they can confide in if needed. She tries to provide this feeling of trust and compassion towards her students as well. “One of my favorite aspects of teaching is that I get to be a part of 160 students’ lives nearly every day,” Tyner said.

 Her students feel the same way. “I think she’s more in touch with our generation. She seems really passionate about her job and her students, so it’s just a mutual respect between her and the students,”  sophomore Cara Robinson said.

 Tyner tries to make sure students know the power of words and reading, both positively and negatively, and to have compassion for others despite differences. Being a first-year teacher, she still has generations of students ahead of her to influence kids with her teaching and shape futures. Tyner believes in showing up for her students in any way she can as a consistency in their lives. Although on the surface, it may not seem that teachers could care much about any one students’ life or understand what’s going on behind the scenes of school Tyner definitely makes an effort to be the type of person a student can cme talk to about anything.

Teaching is in Tyner’s blood and she tries to be a leader in every aspect of her life through coaching, instructing, and leading kids all over Paso Robles. She works to make a difference on this generation and the generations ahead, who will see the impact that she is making on lives and the communities around her. Throughout the day, Tyner can be seen smiling, no matter what life or her students throw at her.