Our Town: Zoology degree helps man working with wild things

With a degree in zoology, Adrian Escobedo is a perfect fit for helping students pass the high-school exit exam.

"My background and my zoology degree have helped immensely," he said. "It's a degree in management of behavior, and when it comes down to it, we're all the same."

His role as South Tahoe High School's bilingual liaison for the California High School Exit Examination is to bring the community and the school together, along with making sure students pass the exam.

Escobedo said his close family growing up in East Los Angeles and the role models it set help him in his work at South Tahoe. He helped start the A-Team, a male student intervention program to set students on the right path.

"I hope to influence youths and make them good citizens," said Escobedo, who also is South Tahoe's varsity baseball coach. "Setting small goals and achieving them, then moving on to larger goals, helps build their confidence. I just point out the realities to them."

Escobedo has been married to his wife, Rena, for six years.

Here's how he answered the Tribune's questions:

1) How would you like to be remembered after you die?

Down-to-earth and easy to get along with, and gave back to his community.

2) What is South Lake Tahoe's most pressing issue today?

The economy. How do we keep locals here and keep them from spending all their time working when they should be with their families.

3) If you could choose any U.S. citizen to be president, who would it be?

I'm not sure right now. Politics has lost focus of representing the people.

4) What's your favorite form of entertainment?

Dinner parties. I like to cook and try new things.

5) If you could choose one thing to do over in your life, what would it be?

Mistakes and obstacles make a person. If I changed anything, I wouldn't be who I am.

6) What living person do you most admire?

Cal Poly professor Glenn Stewart. He's a great guy, down-to-earth and passionate about the environment.

7) What historical figure do you most admire?

It depends on what's going on in my life and then I look to history, I take a little from all.

8) If you could spend an hour with anyone in the world, who would it be?

My dad. I would like to sit down and chat and catch up.

9) Which would you choose if you had the chance: win an individual Olympic gold medal or a Pulitzer prize?

To represent our country and win a gold medal in baseball.

10) What issue in U.S. history has caused the country the most embarrassment?

An embarrassment depends on your point of view. The way we've treated Native Americans and the Bush election come to mind.