Human Physiology teacher and track coach Melissa McCullough has been teaching at Tracy High since 2006. Not only is she a teacher, but she is athletic too. McCullough ran cross country as a teenager, and she loves the running for exercise and it was a great stress reliever.

Did you graduate from Tracy High? “Yes, in 2000.”

Why come back and teach at Tracy? “I really liked the school and teachers. There was always a sense of community when I was here, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Did you always want to go into teaching? “I went through that stage every kid goes through where you want to be everything. I thought being an astronaut would be cool, and I wanted to be a vet for a really long time, but teaching was always an idea in the back of my mind.”

Why did you decide to teach science? “Ever since my first geology class at Delta College I have been fascinated by it.”

Why did you choose to teach high school kids? “I like teaching high school kids because you can have real conversations with them and treat them like their adults. It is a perfect blend, and I feel like I can have the best of both worlds.”

Did you play any sports in high school? “In high school I ran track, cross country, and played soccer.”

Why did you decide to coach track? “I love running. Coaching also keeps me honest, now that I have a team and I need to set an example, so I make sure to run with them.”

What makes you happy? “Running. It is a great stress reliever. We have a saying in my family, ‘running is cheaper than therapy.’ I also enjoy reading, like to listen music (primarily rock), I like to be outdoors a lot. I like to kayak when I have time. I also love to cook.”

Do you have a bucket list? “Yes, but not formally. I would really love to get one down on paper though. Three years ago a student had one and ever since then I thought it would be really cool to make one myself.”

Any idea what would be on it? “I’m not sure. I would definitely want to travel the United Kingdom because I have a lot of family history there.”

Do you have any advice for students? “Right now it’s important to maintain a balance between work, play, a social life, and academics. They might be under a lot of pressure to get things done, but then they lose focus on having fun. They need to remember there is always time for everything.”