11th-grade English and Film Studies teacher, Mr. Paranjpe, is a person who is overly obsessed with placing pictures and drawings of his face around the classroom. With his unique personality and joyful sense of humor, he has been able to create an enjoyable class in which we can openly joke with each other (and maybe learn a few things along the way).

When asked if teaching was his first career, Parnjpe responded “Yes.” He explained how his AP Lit teacher in school helped spark his intention of wanting to become a teacher. But Paranjpe didn’t begin teaching English, he instead started teaching 8th graders about factory farming. Unfortunately for him, many of his students had no interest in the class, but it wasn’t a total loss as it encouraged Paranjpe to become a vegetarian. 

Going way back to his days as a young whipper-snapper, Paranjpe reflects that he wasn’t rebellious, but more of a goofy student “better than Chris Godoy.” As the hard-working teacher we all now know, you’d expect that he placed all his effort into his studies, but he only placed his full effort into the courses he cared about–like AP Literature. Regardless, Paranjpe ended up receiving multiple degrees such as Bachelors, pre-grad, Masters, and too many others to type.

Paranjpe isn’t from California, and when he and his now-wife were deciding where to start a new life, there were a plethora of opportunities. But with the many options of applying to any school, why did he choose Neuwirth? The answer is quite simple. After sending out a bunch of applications, Neuwirth was the first to respond. Being first was important, but it took more than that to bring him here. While being interviewed by Dagnino and Bragg (English supervisor) Paranjpe felt they gave off a “good vibe.” Bragg’s first impression of Paranjpe was that he would be a perfect fit for the school, making a great addition as he enjoyed English and literature and cared about teaching and helping his students better themselves, while also bettering himself in the process. One can say that he’s an A individual. During some online conversations over Zoom, Bragg believed he was “handsome” and had good taste in hip-hop, so he was hired.

Paranjpe is understated when questioned about his childhood, offering that “it was eventful.: He was forced to overcome the significant challenges that many children experience being raised by a single parent. Although this can have negative consequences on a child, Paranjpe was able to overcome it while being able to strive for the best version of himself.

Paranjpe’s most cherished and only pet he owns is Onyx the dog. One can tell how much he values Onyx as he's constantly sharing pictures of his dog in class - when he’s sleeping, a close-up, or one with Onyx dressed as a pumpkin - calling him his pride and joy. Although his love for Onyx is greater than his love for Shrek, if Paranjpe had more space in his apartment, he would be willing to bring Onyx a new friend and probably share even more pictures of his pets.

After bringing his best friend into his home, another special and important part of his life was when he got married on the shore of Maui in 2022. Although it was a small reception with just family being present, it was still his most memorable day as it was the day that he and his now wife were officially joined. Soon after the wedding, the island of Maui became a family vacation in which they enjoyed the sights, ate picnic dinners, and spent time together. Now with the status of being married, he plans to spend his lifetime with his wife, exploring National Parks across the US, and traveling abroad to places like Iceland.

Paranjpe’s wife rightfully holds the position of the most beloved person in his world, but his students still hold a place in his heart. One of his most beloved advisory students, Jose Flores, shared how Paranjpe is one of the most kind-hearted souls. He is very passionate about his job and his students, witnessing him “push others” and “create a safe and loving community” within his classroom for his Humble Bees, by forcing them to do the Russian Dance for the assembly. As the academic school year comes to an end, many students feel relieved to have a school-free summer, Jose on the other hand, doesn’t want it to end. He wants to continue creating memories with Paranjpe being able to cheer him on, but as time continues, Jose has to “Spread his wings” and continue on next year (“Hugs and kisses, your favorite Humble bee—an experience of a lifetime” - Jose Antonio Flores Rios).

And now that the year is reaching its end, it’s time for Paranjpe to share the pictures of Onyx and of his own face (seriously, why are there so many pictures of him in his classroom?) with a new group of students. He has left us with new experiences that would have been impossible to discover without his guidance and provided us with an enjoyable year that may never be duplicated or experienced again.