I'm a designer.

 

I have been teaching with North Orange County ROP at El Dorado High School in the Digital Media Arts Academy since 2015. In 2018, I wrote the curriculum for three of the courses that I teach, Digital Design & Illustration, Advanced Graphic Design, and Honors Graphic Design courses, all of which have been UC approved. The Honors Graphic Design course made history as the first that North Orange County ROP has offered since its start in 1971. 

 

Well... let me clarify that.
​I'm the founder and creative director for the on-campus studio called Design Rescue, staffed by my Advanced and Honors Graphic Design students at El Dorado High School's Digital Media Arts Academy.  We provide pro-bono design work to the community as a way to give students real-world, hands-on experience with projects that will be produced and published. I began Design Rescue as a way to prepare my 3rd and 4th-year students for college and beyond. Not only does it deliver on that goal, but it's also had some welcomed collateral effects including students who have gone on to art colleges, started freelance design businesses, and started in-house design positions right out of high school.
  > Visit the Design Rescue website here

 

In 2018 I developed the first Esports club and team at El Dorado High School. We participated in the Orange County High School Esports League tournament with the popular 5v5 game, League of Legends. In 2019 we participated in the North American Scholastic Esports Federation Overwatch and League of Legends tournaments. The club has been a great opportunity to provide a safe place for students to come together and have fun playing in the same room rather than sitting alone at home where it's easier to form bad behaviors. The club and teams have been a huge success with the students, administration, and parents. I'm an inventor. October of 2010 my father and I worked together to devise a way to comfortably cradle your phone and give a sense of security that it won't drop. We created, and patented, the Handable Phone Grip with a super comfortable soft nylon cord that connects the decorative cap to the phone and provides a solid, secure grip you'll love every time you pick up your phone.
  > Visit our website at www.Handable.com
  > Visit our Youtube Channel

I grew up in Southern California and attended California State University at Fullerton.  I received my BA in Fine Arts in 2001 and began teaching ceramics at El Dorado High School in 2003 after finishing my credential.  I’ve been working with clay for about 15 years now although coming out of school I considered myself to be a painter and printmaker.

 

Three years into teaching I became enamored with working with clay and now focus almost exclusively on pottery.  My favorite aspect of ceramics is throwing pots on the wheel.  I enjoy alternative firing processes, particularly raku and saggar firing, but also enjoy making functional ware as well.  Aside from teaching ceramics, I’m also a Varsity Assistant Baseball Coach here at El Dorado.  My home life is fairly busy for my wife and I, we have 5 wonderful children.

Eric Samson is in his 17th year with the El Dorado Instrumental Music Program in Placentia, California. He has held the roles of Percussion Instructor, Assistant Band Director, and has had the honor of being the Director of Instrumental Music since 2010 where he teaches the Concert

Percussion Ensembles, Jazz Bands, Wind Ensemble, oversees the Color Guard, Winter Percussion Ensemble, Concert Bands, and leads the team of staff members who teach the award-winning Golden Hawk Marching Band. Aside from Southern California competitions and festivals, the Band and Color Guard program has performed/competed multiple times at the Reno Jazz Festival, WGI World Championships, Hawaii Invitational Music Festival, and the Tournament of Roses Parade. In 2016, he was the honor band conductor for the Capistrano Unified School District Middle School Honor Band and he currently serves on the Field Adjudication Steering Committee for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association.

The performance ensembles at EDHS continue to maintain a high level of excellence throughout their program. They have recently earned medals in local and national championships by placing in the top 3 in Winter Guard, Winter Percussion, and Marching Band while the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Bands continue to earn Superior Ratings at Music Festivals.

After attending Riverside Community College, Mr. Samson received his Bachelor of Arts Degree and California Teaching Credential from CSU Fullerton and studied Afro-Latin Music at CSU Los Angeles. He is currently pursuing his Masters Degree in Conducting at the American Band College at Central Washington University. 

Aside from teaching, he has enjoyed his career as a freelance percussionist. As a member of the Henry Mancini Orchestra, he has had the opportunity to share the stage with artists such as Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Michael Buble, and one of his most memorable gigs, Andrea Bocelli and the Muppets on the Jay Leno Show. He currently is the leader of “The EdCode Quintet” where he can be found playing percussion with other Southern California music educators. Mr. Samson is proud to be an endorsed artist with Innovative Percussion Drum Sticks, Remo Drumheads, Zildjian Cymbals, and Gruv Gear.

Mr. Samson currently lives in Fullerton, California with his wife Missy, their two children, Chloe and Micah, and his two dogs, Oswald and Piper.

Mr. Taylor Smith is Co-Director of Instrumental Music at El Dorado High School. Since 2021, Mr. Smith has directed

 the Concert Orchestra, Sinfonia Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Hawktet, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz 4, and the Golden Hawk Marching Band and Color Guard. 

 

Email Mr. Smith at [email protected]