By: Fuyu Banno and Claudia Casal Montserrat

Graphic Editor and People Editor 

From pursuing an interest in all things musical to inspiring passion in the physics classroom, Thomas Peters is all in at Los Gatos High School.

Growing up amidst a strong music program at Branham High School in San Jose, Peters developed an enthusiasm for music, amassing an impressive list of the instruments he learned. As he explained, “I picked up a habit of asking the band director each year, hey, what does the band need more of? Do you have enough trombones? Do you have enough trumpets? And so I ended up playing most of the band instruments.” Peters applied this same adaptability throughout college as he found his calling in teaching. 

After joining the drum corps and conducting at San Jose State University, Peters pivoted from his dream of being a band teacher to following in his father’s footsteps and being an engineer. At West Valley College, his physics instructor, Melvin Vaughn, set him on the path to becoming a teacher once again. Peters recounted, “It was in his class that I realized, wait a minute, good teachers are still a really important thing. Even if I’m not going to be teaching music, I can give back to the community in that way.” 

Peters’s path to teaching physics to juniors began at an after-school program where he taught elementary school kids physics and engineering through Legos. From there, he completed his student teaching with Kate Magary in her physics and AP physics classes. He then taught at Palo Alto High School for a year and a half before returning to Los Gatos High School as a full-time teacher. Peters acknowledged how much the physics department helped him when he came back, “The science department is really supportive, really knowledgeable, and just such kind and wonderful people…everyone’s willing to help answer questions, whether it’s about campus, policies, or best practices.” Now, through supporting his students in the classroom, Peters is also currently advocating for an astronomy class for the high school, in hopes of expanding students’ scientific horizons. 

Outside of the classroom, Peters enjoys exploring the great outdoors. A lover of all things in the wild, Peters enjoys hiking, backpacking, sailing, and even just taking a walk out in the rain. Recently, he has enjoyed resting at Desolation Wilderness, a place just west of South Lake Tahoe. 

Although Peters listens to a lot of different music, he recently reconnected with his passion for playing instruments. Originally a multi-instrument player, he now focuses his old music theory skills and aptitude for music through the electric guitar.

In his commitment to his students, Peters ensures a comfortable and fun learning environment. He emphasized, “One of the things that I often spend time stressing in class is the value of time spent thinking about things.” Keeping this in mind, Peters continues to enrich students with his passion for the sciences, music, and teaching.