Karen Koshgarian:  

At Bullard, I was very quiet, shy and introverted. If that isn't how you remember me, I'd love to know what kind of impression I made. I went to Fresno State, then San Jose State, and graduated in 1966 with a BA in Art. After another year I completed my Secondary Education Credential, and went right to work in Mountain View, CA at Awalt High School, which changed names in 1980, to Mountain View High School. I taught art for 32 years, 28 of those years as the art department chair. I was the first female staff member to break the dress code of dresses and skirts, by showing up in a polyester pants suit one fine Spring day. While it is hard to imagine the controversy that caused in today's world, I none the less was called into the principal's office to "explain myself." You can ask me how that ended up, at the 50th reunion, which I will be attending for the first time. Because many of my students over the years went on to become accomplished artists in multiple industries, one of my favorite activities has been to sit through the entire credit stream at the end of a movie, and look for names I may recognize. These former student's range of accomplishments have been from "darling" of the avant-guard art scene in New York City, to web designer for Stephen Spielberg, and of course being in California, some ended up in the animation industry working for PDI and Pixar. I say, any excuse to see an animated film! Along the way, and over the years, I've stayed away from the BHS Class of 1962 reunions simply because I didn't want to arrive with a fictional story about my life, and I wasn't brave enough, and perhaps the culture wasn't quite ready to receive me without judgment. At least that's what I felt, and told myself. But the time has come, and I will ...Expand for more