MISSION VIEJO

Mission Viejo High School humanities teacher Gerry Chris recently received KNBC-Channel 4’s Crystal Apple award. The network affiliate saluted Chris for his unique achievements in teaching. “What it was that caught their attention is that I teach both ends: the highest level of students and those that are having academic difficulty,” Chris said. “That’s kind of a rarity. Most people teach a few top level and a few middle-level classes, but not both extremes.”

Chris teaches a basic English class for remedial students and a humanities class for the school’s International Baccalaureate program. The International Baccalaureate program, which Chris helped bring to Mission Viejo High in 1985, allows students from around the world to study the same advanced curriculum and to compare their test scores to students’ scores from other countries.

Chris was nominated for the award by a former student. He was chosen out of thousands of nominees. “It’s nice to know people still appreciate teaching and thinking in class,” he said. Besides, “it’s a Tiffany apple, the most expensive crystal. It’s probably worth a bundle.”