Larissa Lewis, a substitute teacher at Santa Fe High School, joined the staff in 2008. She was also a special education assistant for 15 summers.

Born in Germany to Ukrainian and Latvian parents, Ms. Lewis’s family moved to the United States when she was five years old. She grew up in Chicago. 

Ms. Lewis went to the University of Illinois and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Many years later, she took a few classes at the College of Santa Fe. 

Ms. Lewis found it convenient to work in the schools so she could be home when her son got out of school. She said she loves seeing the variety of different personalities and how the kids grow from their freshman to senior years. “It’s very entertaining and funny, like Saturday Night Live,” she said.

After a “corrupt divorce” and the hard loss of her son, Ms. Lewis said she enjoys spending her time teaching because children living their best life helps “heal [her] heart.” At the same time, she is worried about the trend of students spending so much time on their phones. “High school is specifically for socialization,” she said. “Being on the cellphone destroys socialization.”

In her free time, Ms. Lewis enjoys playing with her animals and seeing wildlife. She used to have horses, and she has seen a bear up by her cabin in the forest above Pecos. Ms. Lewis also enjoys watching interesting movies.