20 years after graduating from Greenhill, English teacher Alvaro Cantu returns to his alma mater hoping to make new bonds with his students that replicate the ones that he shared with his teachers.

After graduating from Franklin Marshall College, Cantu began his teaching career at Woodrow Wilson High School. He then went to teach at Horn High School and McKinney Independent School District and accumulated 15 years of teaching.

Even while being at other schools, Cantu always had the thought of coming back to Greenhill in the back of his mind.

“I’ve always kept my eye on Greenhill,” said Cantu. “I tried to come back in 2006 but ultimately didn’t get the job. I always knew that I wanted to come back here because of the academic reputation.”

Cantu first joined Greenhill in first grade, which makes him part of the forever club. He stayed all the way through his senior year and graduated in the class of 1999. During his time at Greenhill, he was a varsity baseball player and was in choir.

One of Cantu’s students, sophomore Thomas Rowley, feels like he has a genuine and personal connection with his teacher.

“Although it’s early, based on his background of teaching and him being a Greenhill alumnus, you can tell that he truly cares about his students,” said Rowley.

Cantu has an advantage over other teachers because he understands the Greenhill student life. He understands the pressure from parents and classmates, and how much grades can influence one’s future whether it’s college or sports. “I get the fact that someone could bite off more than they can chew,” said Cantu.

“It’s like a second home to me, and a lot of who I am as an individual today is because of what this school gave me,” Cantu said.