Welcome!  My name is Azucena de la Cruz and I am your student's AP Psychology or Psychology teacher.  I have been teaching at Elsinore High School for the past 11 years and I absolutely love it!  Prior to EHS I was a Social Studies teacher at Terra Cotta Middle School for 5 years.  In total I have been a teacher for the Lake Elsinore Unified School District for 16 years.  I was also a basketball coach for many years at EHS and currently I am an Assistant Coach for the University of Saint Katherine Women's Basketball Program in San Marcos.  I serve as the Director of Recruitment.  The University of Saint Katherine is an NAIA Division 1 university and coaching there has been a blast!  In my free time I enjoy reading, going to the beach, basketball, hiking, fitness, hip hop music, scrapbooking, and hanging out with friends and family. 

EHS holds a special place in my heart as I am an alumnus.  It's fun to teach where I attended school and to be around my former teachers like Mr. Rett and Mrs. Coogan!  I graduated from EHS in 2001 and then furthered my education at the University of Redlands from 2001-2005.  I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History with minors in Spanish, Government, and Economics in 2005.  I absolutely loved my undergraduate experience at the University of Redlands and decided to complete a California Teaching Credential in History-Social Science in 2006 and a Master of Arts Degree in Education in 2011 from there as well.  My tie to the University of Redlands continues to this day because I serve on their Alumni Association Board of Directors.  My experience at Redlands was one of the best times of my life and it's an honor to serve my alma mater in this capacity.  It's been amazing!

As a teacher I believe in academic rigor, the development of critical thinking skills, and the importance of hard work.  I look forward to getting to know your student and helping him/her on their academic journey here at Elsinore High School.  My ultimate goal is to prepare them for life after high school whether that be a 4 year college, a community college, vocational school, or the military.  Please feel free to contact me at any time.  Go Tigers!