Carlos Castro knows how to get things done.
During a bus-driver shortage when no one could drive students to VEX Robotics tournaments, the determined engineering teacher and robotics coach at Woodbridge Senior High School obtained a commercial driver’s license to transport them himself. Blessed with a commanding voice, he steps up and announces the 600-plus students at graduation ceremonies annually, tirelessly contacting every student to ensure the precise pronunciation of their names.
And, not surprisingly, Castro doesn’t shy away from a challenge, approaching difficult issues logically.
“It’s part of the whole mantra of engineering: You figure out how to solve the problem,” the Teacher of the Year finalist says.
Colleagues readily list need after need that Castro has addressed. During the initial COVID shutdown, he used school 3D printers (nicknamed “Hope” and “Charity”) and $3,000 from a GoFundMe he started to create free masks and personal protective equipment for school kitchen staff, as well as stethoscopes for Fredericksburg-based health care workers.
“When I reached out to him to tell him how inspiring this was and asked if we could cover this in the school yearbook, he credited his students and had them featured instead,” says Maria Owsiany, a colleague.
Castro started teaching in 2007, which he says happened as the result of becoming a father and questioning the quality of public schools. A consummate problem solver, he did an about-face, shifting from a lucrative 12-year electrical engineering career to become an educator.
“I thought, ‘Shut up and get in there yourself!’” Castro says.
He’s known for his dedication to his students and passion for career and technical education (CTE), robotics, and the science-centered program, Project Lead the Way. Over the years and under his guidance, CTE has grown to include engineering and computer science classes, and Castro has led the robotics team to several worldwide competitions. He always puts kids first, whether in the classroom, after hours with robotics students, or as a volunteer with the band for his own son.
“He is the first person to volunteer anytime we need anything,” says Aaron Greenfield, an assistant principal at Woodbridge.
Looking back, Castro says becoming an educator was the right choice for him.
“Why wouldn’t I be doing this?” he says. “It gives me something to smile about. I’m a cheerleader for STEM. … I feel like I make more difference here.”
Feature image by Jeff Heeney
This story originally appeared in our October 2022 issue’s Teacher of the Year cover story. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
