This semester, Lincoln Southeast High School (LSE) welcomed its newest teacher of the arts, Cao Nguyen. Nguyen directs two of Southeast’s choirs, and aspires to be a teacher that can work with students and give students many opportunities to succeed. 

Nguyen has been teaching choir for six years, and this is his first year at the high school level. So far, he has enjoyed his time teaching high school students, and approves of the environment. 

“It’s welcoming, friendly, healthy, and clean,” he said. 

Nguyen is taking on a new challenge, this being his first year at the high school level. 

“[I’m] just learning to adapt to different responses from students, because before it was elementary students that were responding to me. It’s quite different,” he said. 

He looks forward to the challenge, though, and says he’s excited to be able to expand and try more advanced things with choral music than he’d done in the past. He’ll be able to teach students that are at a more advanced level and have had more experience in singing.

So far, Nguyen’s favorite part of teaching high school students has been seeing their will to excel in music. 

“I think they are very ambitious, which is a very good thing,” he said. 

He also loves feeling the excitement for the future of select, upper-classmen choirs that await the younger students he teaches. 

Nguyen has many interests outside of the classroom. He played tennis all throughout high school, and ended up playing for two years on the Wesleyan team. He had also done some theater in high school, and had a significant interest in gaming. 

Nguyen says he wants to be known as a teacher that will give students chances. He relates this to his appreciation for how he was taught by his teachers. 

“I will more than likely be listening to you as a student,” he said. “And as a teacher, I’d like to give chances.” 

From the stage to the court, from gaming to teaching, Mr. Nguyen is always ready to take on new challenges. He wants to make a positive impact on the Southeast choral department and on individual students. As a final addition, he said, “Well, I hope to be here a long time.”