Alumni Profiles
Pablo Pereira ’76
“The vast variety of subject matters taught and the freedom to try new things created a curiosity in me that continued in college, until one day, journalism just clicked.”
Pablo Pereira ’76 is an Emmy Award-winning member of the American Meteorologist Society and has been forecasting weather for more than three decades. He started at Crossroads in 1972—its second year—as an eighth grader. Pablo describes his experience at Crossroads as very intimate; the classes were small then, only about 20 or so students in a grade. He credits the small class sizes for teaching him accountability—he couldn’t hide—and for helping him develop tight bonds with his classmates.
“The closeness of the small classes created everlasting friendships,” he says. “It’s hard to believe that the best friends I made then, more than 40 years ago, remain my best friends today.”
Pablo appreciates the space and opportunities for exploration that Crossroads provided students. “The vast variety of subject matters taught and the freedom to try new things created a curiosity in me that continued in college, until one day, journalism just clicked.” He also credits his drama class with helping him overcome stage fright, which he says is essential in live television news.
He puts his performance background to use regularly as a meteorologist on KTTV FOX 11, providing the weather forecast at 5 and 10 p.m. Pablo has been named Best Weathercaster by the Associated Press and the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California. Most recently, Pablo won a Television Emmy for his live coverage of the Space Shuttle Endeavour’s return to Los Angeles. Pablo passes by the 21st Street Campus almost daily on his way to work, which he describes as “a nice reminder of where I came from, and where I ended up.”
Pablo’s memories of Crossroads include trips to the Kern River and the little burrito place that used to be across from the 21st Street Campus. He also fondly remembers the teachers and courses he loved, including Art Tuller for math, Steven Morgan for English and Terri Redman for biology. Like so many Crossroads alumni, the outstanding faculty left a lasting impression on him. He says, “The dedicated teachers and personal attention I was given during my time there made me who I am today.”
