English teacher Nina Bunker joined the staff at Santa Fe High in 2016.

“I never thought I would be a teacher at the school I graduated from in 1994,” she said.

Ms. Bunker didn’t enjoy school until she got to Santa Fe High, where she had several English teachers who inspired her. “My favorite subject in school was English because I love reading novels, talking about novels, thinking about novels,” she said, adding that although she enjoyed high school, she did not like P.E. “because they made us dress in terrible shorts.”

After high school, Ms. Bunker moved on to college: “I went to several colleges, such as UNM, Southern Oregon University, and the University of Seville,” she said. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Highlands University.

One thing that made her want to be a teacher is that she loves working with teenagers. “I love writing and reading with students, I love thinking about writing and reading with students, and I love talking about writing and reading with students,” she said.

Ms. Bunker lives with her daughter, Pieta (a student at SFHS), her husband JJ, and a menagerie of furry friends. Her eldest daughter attends UNM and loves it.