Apex High School is arguably one of the best high schools in Wake County. It has even garnered the distinction of being one of the best high schools in America. It’s no wonder then

that so many former students return to the Peak as teachers. One such person is Mr. Dasarathy, a 2019 graduate and new social studies teacher. 

Mr. Dasarathy attended NC State University and graduated with a degree in business with a concentration in marketing and a minor in history. He then continued his education with a Masters in Teaching at UNC-Chapel Hill. Finally, Mr. Dasarathy completed his student teaching at Northwood High School in Pittsboro, NC. 

When asked why he wanted to be a teacher, Mr. Dasarathy explained, “I just liked learning more, I just liked talking, and I felt like teaching was the perfect intersection because I wanted to not only learn more about the world, but I also wanted to inform others about what I learned.” 

He adds, “It was also a chance for me to impact the next generation and hopefully give them the skills they need to succeed in the future.”

This semester, Mr. Dasarathy is teaching two sections of AP Psychology and one section of Civic Literacy. He wanted to teach social studies because it “was always just the subject that I enjoyed the most, and was always the easiest to talk about. I think when I was in high school…I always wanted to learn more about the subject, whether it be this history course, whether it be this psychology class. When I was thinking about what I wanted to teach, it just seemed like social studies was the perfect subject for me.” 

As a former student, Mr. Dasarathy has a unique perspective on Apex High School. 

“Last time I was here it was an old campus, and now I’ve come back it’s an entirely new campus, post-pandemic, all these students have Chromebooks now, which is very new to me…” 

However, he still feels that same school spirit and energy that was present during his time in high school, explaining that, “the campus still feels very similar to when I was here. The teachers are just as warm as I remember… [There are] a lot of new faces, obviously, but they are all so sociable and warm and will always say ‘Good morning’ to you, ‘How was your day?’, ‘How was your weekend?’, … and it’s those types of interactions that make students want to be here.” 

When asked about what he was like as a high school student, Mr. Dasarathy said, “Some classes, I sat around quietly, took notes, and didn’t really interact. Other classes, I was very, very obnoxious, but it seems like I’m the only person who remembers that because when I’ve talked to my old teachers they don’t remember me like that at all…I guess those teachers either don’t remember or have forgiven me a long time ago.” 

In regards to advice he would give his students, Mr. Dasarathy offers these sage words: “Stay positive, keep your head up, and always realize whatever problem you’re facing now, you’ll be able to get through with persistence.” 

Teaching does not come without its challenges, and many teachers have pet peeves. Mr. Dasarathy is no exception and details a common pet peeve of teachers. “One pet peeve which I just discovered two  days ago is when students take out a piece of paper from their notebooks and then leave all those paper shavings on the ground. All around, I think I have 100 percent great students, but that is something we’re still trying to work on.” 

He also shared another pet peeve commonly held by teachers, which is “when students don’t turn their ringer off, or they watch TikToks in class.” 

Mr. Dasarathy is more than just a social studies teacher. Outside of school, he likes to hang out with friends, including some of his fellow teachers here at Apex. “The coworkers here have been so good to me. I was a little worried when I saw these new faces.. [but] they took to me immediately.” 

He has a dog named Zuri who he likes to take for walks, and he enjoys running and cycling, though he adds, “I’m not a fast runner, I still run like an old man.”

When asked about his favorite movie, book, and TV show, Mr. Dasarathy shared that his favorite movie is No Country For Old Men, adding, “I haven’t read the book yet, but I’ve heard it’s just as good as the movie.” 

His favorite book is Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. “His memoir, it goes a little fast, but his experiences, the way he talks about his life, and what he experienced growing up in South Africa, facing the challenges he faced, it feels like you’re right there with him. That’s the book I’d say is closest to a movie….” 

His favorite television shows are Seinfeld and Cheers. He adds, “I watch a lot of sitcoms, more than I probably should.” 

Finally, the most thought provoking question for any educator: What would you be doing if you weren’t a teacher? “If I wasn’t a teacher, I’d probably be working in marketing because I like people-facing jobs; I like being able to interact with other people.” 

We here at Legacy are excited for this upcoming school year and can’t wait to see how all of our new teachers are part of it. Thank you, Mr. Dasarathy, for being part of this article. Have a great first year of teaching!