The rise and fall of Panchito
Ms. Gun lost a few battles with her unwelcome furry interloper, but she eventually won the war
Not that Panchito cared of course, but Ms. Juana Gun was announced as the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year in a lunchtime ceremony in the library on Jan. 29. The emotional Spanish teacher said that she has “enjoyed all my years at McCallum” and thanked Mr. Garrison for creating an environment where she and other teachers can be themselves and do their thing. Sophomore Gracie Ross said, “Ms. Gun really deserves this award because she is such an amazing teacher. I love taking Spanish with her.” The other finalists for the award were science teacher Marion Baughman and math teacher Stephanie Watson. Photo by Scarlett Houser.
March 16, 2019
I have now lost [to Panchito and his family] three … good canvas, sturdy book bags, trashed because Panchito was looking for sustenance.
— Spanish teacher Juana Gun
Many teachers and students have had issues with the notorious rats here at Mac, and some even have vivid firsthand accounts of their encounters with them; others have only heard blown-out-of-proportion stories. Spanish teachers such as Ms. Gun have had their share of encounters with the varmonts, due to their classroom’s location in close proximity to the cafeteria and dumpsters.
Gun’s most recent rat problem began around early October and only just recently ended; she named her unwelcome visitor Panchito (also the name of a cartoon rooster in 1944 Disney movie, The Three Caballeros).
She described Panchito as “chunky” and “enormous,” and characterized him in general as a “monster.”
Panchito evidently did not care the Gun was voted 2019 Teacher of the Year by her peers.
“He destroyed two of my book bags,” Gun said. “It doesn’t matter where I would place bags in the room, he goes looking for food and he chews the bottom of your book bags, so I have now lost (to Panchito and his family) three good book bags, good canvas, sturdy bags trashed because Panchito was looking for sustenance,” Gun said with a traumatized look on her face.
After the first book bag was destroyed, Ms. Gun decided to call maintenance; traps were placed around her room. Soon after action was taken, Panchito suffered his “death sentence,” as Gun calls it.
RATALICIOUS, HUH? This is just one example of a rat nest (not as in messy hair) found outside of Ms. Gun’s room under the lockers. Gun said that the rats have free reign in the hollow brick walls surrounding many of the rooms in the school. Photo by Scarlett Houser.
Panchito was found “dead, all four legs up” after a full day of class by Ms. Gun, under a table by the recycling bin. Gun is thankful that no one discovered him during class because “it would have made everyone run, screaming from the room, even though it was dead.”
There’s a rat in her room, and it gets in her stuff, which I have to be around.
— Sophomore Isabella Dietz
Throughout Ms. Gun’s rat journey, her students were kept updated on Panchito’s latest wrongdoings.
Sophomore Olivia Capochiano said that she “was happy to share her news” of victory over the rat.
When asked if she had any theories about the rat, Capochiano said simply, “he visits the chosen one.”
Another student, Isabella Dietz was grossed out by the rat stories, saying “there’s a rat in her room and it gets in her stuff, which I have to be around.”
Despite the varied reactions to Panchito’s demise, it is all over now and Ms. Gun is feeling much better, “I’m trying to be at peace with him, and right now there’s peace.”
We dedicate this story the memory of Panchito and the books bags he destroyed.
