Ms. Gwendolyn Trujillo currently teaches ASL 1 and 3. She has been a teacher at Lakota West for 27 years. She is currently Lakota West’s only Deaf ASL teacher. The following interview was conducted with an ASL interpreter.

1. What would you name the autobiography of your life? 

Odd One Out

1. Where is your favorite place to relax? 

Home! I love to be home and relax. I’m able to do whatever I want. 

1. What’s the first thing you would buy with Powerball winnings? 

I’d go on my first vacation! I’ve traveled before, but I’ve never been on a real vacation. I would like to go to Hawaii and New York. 

1. What’s your favorite part of teaching? 

Everything! Everything involved in the teaching experience. I can apply my experiences to teaching ASL. 

1. If you could meet one person, real or fictional, who would it be? 

Morgan Freeman! He’s from Mississippi we’re [from] neighboring states. He grew up on a bean farm, so he seems very down to earth. 

1. What is your comfort food?

Almond nuts.  It’s what I like to eat when I get home. When I’m settling down, it works. 

1. Who was your favorite teacher/professor and why? 

Ms. Reed, my high school history teacher. She was very patient; she was a very caring person and reached out to students. She was very caring but she meant business [you couldn’t trick her]. She bought me my senior ring [because] I graduated early. 

I liked her teaching approach. I think I learned a lot from her.It’s [reflected in] my teaching.